DACELO CERVINA, Gouwid.

Dac. plumis capitis totius fulvescenti-albis, singulis strigd centrali fuscd notatis, hdc colore apud occiput magis conspicuo ;
guld alba ; nucha, pectore, corporeque subtis cervinis ; pectore, abdomine, et lateribus, lineis transversis delicatulis et
fuscis contorté ornatis ; dorso summo et scapularibus fuseis ; primariis nigrescenti-fuscis ad apicem, ad basin albis, ad
marginem externum violaceo-ceeruleis ; plumis secondaris, aldque spurid violaceo-coruleis ; tectricibus majoribus et mi-
noribus dorsoque imo lazulino-ceeruleis ; caudd, tectricibusque hujus longissimis castaneis, ad apicem fulvescentibus, et
lineis octo vel decem angustis violaceo-nigris, transversaliter notatis ; mandibuld superiore nigrescenti-fuscd, base ex-
cepta, hdc, mandibuldque inferiore corneo-flavis ; pedibus flavescenti-fuscis.

Long. tot. 143 une. ; rostri, 3; ale, 73; caude@, 51; tarsi, 1.

Feathers of the head, cheeks, and ear-coverts buffy white, with a central stripe of dark brown, which latter colour
becomes most conspicuous on the occiput ; throat white; back of the neck, chest, and all the under surface
sienna yellow; the chest, flanks, and abdomen crossed by fine zigzag lines of brown; upper part of the back
and scapularies umber brown ; primaries blackish brown at the tip and white at the base ; their external edges,
the secondaries, and the spurious wing rich china blue; greater and lesser wing-coverts, back, and several of
the upper tail-coverts light shining verditer blue ; tail and the longest of the upper coverts rich chestnut brown,
which passes into buff at the tip, the whole transversely marked with eight or nine narrow and regular bands
of rich blue black ; upper mandible blackish brown on the upper surface and towards the tip; the base and

the whole of the under mandible horn yellow; feet yellowish brown.

Dacelo cervina, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc. Part V. 1837.

 

Tue bird figured in the accompanying plate differs from every other known species of true Dacelo in the
delicate buff or light fawn yellow which is spread over the whole of the under surface; and as this colour
extends to the base of the feathers, I am led to believe constitutes a permanent character; I have therefore
given it the specific appellation of cervina. It is a species of great rarity ; two specimens only have come
under my notice, one of which is in my own collection, and the other in that of the British Museum.

I am unable to record any account whatever of the history of this fine bird, further than that I have reason
to believe it is an inhabitant of the eastern and northern portions of New Holland.

When compared with the other members of the genus it may be considered a diminutive species, while at
the same time it is not surpassed by any in the brilliancy of its colours, particularly in the lazuline blue,

which is spread over the back and wings.