SAUROMARPTIS GAUDICHAUDL

Gaudichaud’s Kingfisher.

Dacelo gaudichaudi, ay & Gaim, Voy. de l’Uranie, p- 112, pl. xv.—Gray, Cat. Fissirostres Brit. Mus. p. 52.—
Id. Gen. B. i. p. 78.—Bonap. Consp. Av. i. p. 154.—Cass, Cat. Halcyonidee Philad. Mus. p. 14.—Sclater,
Proc. Linn. Soc. ii. p. 155.—Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, Alced. p. 20.—Id. Vog. Nederl. Indié, Alced.
pp- 13, 49, pl.iv.—Gray, Hand-list of Birds, i. p. 89, no. 1063.—Sharpe, Monogr. Alced p. 295, pl. exvi.
—Id. Journ. Linn. Soc. xiii. pp. 313, 493.—Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, i. p. 389.—D’ Albert.

rarpe, Linn. Soe. Journal, xiv. p. 686.
Choucalcyon gaudichaudi, Lesson, Traité d’Orn. p. 248. —

Ann. Mus. Civic. Genoy. x. p. 19.—S}

Bonap. Consp. Volucr. Anis. p. 9.

Monachaleyon gaudichaudi, Reichenbach, Handb. Alced. p. 37, Taf. cccexxy. fig. 3156.

Sauromarptis gaudichaudi, Cab. & Heine, Mus. Hein. Th. ii. p. 164.—Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov. vii. p: 405:
—Id. & D’Albert. tom. cit. p. 816.—Salvad. Op. cit. vill. p. 398.—Id, op. cit. ix. p. 21.—Id. op. cit. x.
pp. 128, 306.—D’ Albert. & Salvad. OP. Cle why, jo, HB.

 

No greater proof could be given, of the great progress which ornithology has made during the last ten years,
than a comparison of the localities which this species was known to inhabit in the year 1869 with the list of
habitats which are enumerated by Count Salvadori in his ‘Prodromus’ of the Kingfishers of New Guinea and
the Papuan Islands. Originally discovered in New Guinea and Guébeh by Messrs. Quoy and Gaimard
during the voyage of the ‘ Uranie,’ the localities of Waigiou, Mysol, and the Aru Islands were added by
Mr. Wallace. Mr. Sharpe also includes Ceram, on the authority of specimens in the Leiden Museum; but
Count Salvadori omits this island from his list, and it seems doubtful if the species has ever really occurred
there. Count Salvadori has examined one hundred and twenty specimens collected in the Papuan Islands
by the recent Italian explorers Beccari and D’Albertis, as well as the Dutch voyagers Bruijn, Bernstein,
And von Rosenberg; and the following places are given by him as habitats for this fine species :—N.W, New
Guinea, Dorey, Mansinam, Andai, Warbusi, Wairoro, Dorei-Hum, Sorong, Kukuladi, Lobo, and the fol-
lowing elends=— Salawati, Batanta, Waigiou, Guebeh, Jobi, Miosnom, Mysol, and the a Islands ; while
it has also been found in South-eastern New Guinea. In this part of the great Papuan island D’Albertis
has found the species on the Fly River and in Hall Bay, the Rev. sil Lawes at Hood Bay (60 miles east of
Port Moresby), Dr. James at Nicura, and Mr. Stone on the Tg river. 8
Messrs. Quoy and Gaimard give the following note on this Hmgisties in their original account of the
bird :—* This species, to which we have given the name of ous friend and Ta pole nee
the expedition, inhabits the woods of the Papuan Islands. The aborigines call it ‘ ee o ‘ ae
netrous the inhabitants of Guébé call it Sa/éa,—these Pa the names ee | : a ie ted |
Kingfishers. It is not shy, and is easily approached. 17 he individuals that me i ec i. ne eG : still
covered with the earth in which they had been digging to procure their food.” Mr. Wallace states that he

Sao)

: ie a + innole. where its curious loud barking was often heard and was
found the species not uncommon in swampy jungle, where its ct 5

i [ eeds ‘rustacea, butterflies, Mollusca, and Myriopoda.
sometimes mistaken for that of a dog. It feeds on Crustac e a ;
i s King QM rcavay HI Seca oraph :
The following descriptions are given by Mr. Sharpe in his ‘ Monograph :—
a | : - part of the back, and scapularies deep black ;
- the head, cheeks, ear-coverts, upper pé ;
‘* Adult male.—Crown of the head, , eel 1 patch of feathers along the base of the
1 » feathers edged with bright blue; a pé at g
in very old birds a few of the feathers edged wi g ; | 7 fee
behind tl ind a collar round the neck ochre; a spot on the occiput white ;
yehind the eye, « é c

upper mandible, a stripe mu ae
i balt ; quills blackish, the inner web light ochre fr ;

ete black washed wi right co A :

ee en He ially on the secondaries ; lower back and upper tail-
1 2e]) I ro, more especially s : :
the outer web edged with deep indigo, ve wikis Galea
coverts bright silvery blue; tail deep indigo above, black underneath ; ae re
eeenuS) OTIS ? c Jer surface of body deep chestnut; bill lig
; : “th lic ‘-hre; rest of under suri
i -erts white ] ith light ochre; rest
under wing-coverts white tinged g
; inoed wi ack; feet black.

yellow, the upper mandible tinged with black ; feet ble
tail 4:0, tarsus 0°85. a:

«“Female.—Similar to the male, but having the

Total length 11:8 inches, culmen 1'8, wing 5:3,

colours not quite so bright, and the tail reddish.”