TANYSIPTERA NY MPHA, @ rp.

Gray.

Red-breasted Tanysiptera.

Tanysiptera nympha, Gray, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1841, p. 237.—Id. Gen. B. i. p. 78 (1846).—Id. Cat. Fissi
rostres Brit. Mus. p. 59 (1848).—Bp. Consp. Gen. Av. i. p. 157 (1850).—Gray . Z. Sg oe : oe
—Wallace, P. 4.8. 1862, p. 165, 1863, p- 24.—Schl. Nederl. Tijdschr. Dierk. - : oo ane a
Sharpe, P. Z.S. 1869, p. 631.—Id. Monogr. Alced. p. 269, pl. civ. (1869).—Sclater Rea 1873
p- 697.—Schl. Mus. Pays-Bas, Alced. Revue, p. 41 (1874).—Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Gemor 2
p. 127 (1877).

Dacelo dea, pt., Schl. Mus. Pays-Bas, Alced. p. 43 (1863).—Id. Voge. N

ederl. Ind. Alced. op. 33, 62 (1864),
Alcedo dea, Martens, J. f. O. 1864, p. 18. _ a

Tue first specimen of this beautiful Kingfisher, described nearly thirty years ago from a native skin,
still exists in the British Museum with the wings of a Halcyon attached to it. The majority of skins which
reach us even to this day are prepared by the native collectors, and arrive in a flat state, without wings.
The first person who appears to have obtained a perfect skin was Mr. Wallace, who, in 1869, contributed
the following note to Mr. Bowdler Sharpe’s ‘Monograph.’ He writes: —‘ This rare species was obtained by
my assistant, Mr. Allen, in the interior of the north-west peninsula of New Guinea ; and the single specimen
he obtained is, I believe, the only complete and authentic one in Europe. New Guinea is the only island
which possesses more than two species of this genus, and may therefore be looked upon as its metropolis,
and as more likely than any other part of the world to produce new forms of Kingfishers.” Since Mr.
Wallace’s ‘Voyage’ one or two mutilated skins have been seen in this country. It appears to be entirely
confined to North-western New Guinea; and the first idea, that it was a Philippine bird, is now admitted on
all sides to have been a palpable mistake. The Leiden Museum has received a single specimen from
Sorong; and D’Albertis procured: a couple of individuals during his stay in North-west New Guinea.
Beceari also met with it, and observes:—“Of Tunysiptera nympha 1 could only get one specimen.
It is not very rare among the mangroves near Ramoi, and in the low places surrounding it. On
several occasions it was met with by my hunters without their being able to kill it. It is wanting near
Dorey, but reappears at Rubi, in the south of the Bay of Geelvink, a locality which seems interesting, and
which I was sorry not to have visited, because several species which are only known from Salwatti and
Sorong are found there, among others Se/eucides alba.”

The present species is distinguished at once from all the other Zunysiptere by its red rump and under
surface. I give the following description from Mr. Sharpe’s ‘Monograph.’

Head rich ultramarine, inclining to cobalt on the nape; ear-coverts and upper part of the back and sca-
pulars jet-black ; lower part of the back, rump, and upper. tail-coverts rich vermilion ; oe Dee
edged with ultramarine, the innermost ones rich cobalt; quills black, the inner web light rufous from
base, the outer web very narrowly washed with blue ; tail-feathers deep pines ile ed ones tipped mt }
white, the two middle tail-feathers rich blue, the spatula long and white, with a faint blush of rose; entire
under surface rich vermilion, a little paler on the abdomen; bill and “eu sealing-waxted; og black.
Total length 11 inches, of bill from front 1-2, from gape 1:7, wing 3°6, tail 2:8, middle rectrices 0°6, tarsus
0:3, middle toe 0:6, hind toe 0:2.

The figure in the Plate is life-sized, and is dr ‘
D’Albertis, and I have been indebted for the loan of it to Dr. Sclater, thi

collection passed.

awn from one of the specimens obtained by Signor
ough whose hands D’Albertis’s

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