638 Messrs. H. C. Robinson and W. S. Laverock on 
70. *Merops ornatus Lath .; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. 
Mus. xvii. p. 74 (1892). 
Two adult males in freshly moulted plumage. 
“ Plentiful; nesting in flat sandy country in holes about 
four feet long, with the nesting-chamber about 18 inches 
from the surface. Iris red ; feet and bill black 99 [Olive). 
On the Stewart River, where the Overland Telegraph wire 
from Cape York crosses the stream, I (H. C. R.) found this 
species to be especially abundant in August 1896, perching 
on the wire in groups of five or six. 
71. fEuRYSTOMUS pacificus (Lath.). 
Eurystomus australis Sharpe, t. c. p. 36. 
Inaccurate though Latham’s description undoubtedly is, 
we think that after all his name should be employed. We 
have examined large numbers of Latham’s types, to whose 
authenticity no possible doubt attaches, and it is extraordi¬ 
nary to find how difficult it is to reconcile the descriptions 
of many of them with the actual specimens from which these 
descriptions were taken. 
“ Found in forest country. Plentiful but rather shy and 
difficult to procure, as it always perches in lofty trees; 
occurs, as a rule, in flocks, but sometimes in pairs or singly. 
Iris brown ; bill and feet red ” [Olive). 
72. Dacelo gigas (Bodd.) ; Sharpe, t. c. p. 204. 
Dacelo qiqas, subsp. minor Robinson, Bull. Liverp. Mus. 
ii. p. 116 (1900). 
At one time, with only young specimens before us, we 
were inclined to consider that the North Queensland form 
might perhaps be subspecifically distinguished by the absence 
of blue on the rump and wings, and by its smaller size. We 
find, however, that this is not the case, as the receipt of a 
small series from Cairns shows that adult birds are, if any¬ 
thing, brighter in coloration than more southern specimens, 
though in size they are on the average slightly smaller. 
“ These birds feed on reptiles and are found in open 
forest-country, generally solitary, though the mate is never 
far away. The nest is made in the small f termitaria ’ which 
