Zoological Illustrations Volume I Part 12

Pl. 27

[Ill.u.s.tration]

HALCYON collaris.

_Collared Crabeater._

GENERIC CHARACTER.

_Rostrum longissimum, r.e.c.t.u.m, validum, ad basin latius quam altius, lateribus tetragonis; mandibula superiore rectissima, ad basin rotundata; inferiore carinata, recurvata, margine superioris inferiorem obtegente. Nares basales, membrana tectae, apertura nuda, lineari obliqua. Cauda plerumque mediocris. Pedes gressorii, digito antico interiore minimo aut nullo._

Typus Genericus _Alcedo Senegalensis_. Linn.

Bill very long, straight, thick, the base broader than high; the sides tetragonal; upper mandible very straight, the base rounded; under mandible beneath carinated and recurved, the margins covered by those of the upper. Nostrils basal, covered by a membrane, the aperture naked, linear and oblique. Tail mostly moderate. Feet gressorial: interior fore-toe small or wanting.

Generic Type _Crabeating Kingsfisher_. Latham.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_H. viridi-caerulea; corpore subtus, lunulaque cerviculi albis._

Greenish-blue. Body beneath and nuchal collar white.

Alcedo collaris. _Latham Index Ornith._ i. 250.

Sacred Kingsfisher, _Var._ D. _Latham Syn._ ii. _p._ 623.

Collared Kingsfisher. _Gen. Zool._ viii. i. _p._ 80.

Referring to the observations we have already made on Kingsfishers generally, it will be only necessary to observe, that the species now formed into the genus _Halcyon_ appear entirely excluded from the American continent: their bills are much stronger, thicker, and more rounded than the genuine Kingsfishers, and the under mandible beneath invariably carinated and curving upwards. One of them (the _Alcedo Senegalensis_ of Latham) is known to feed on crabs, the breaking and disjointing of which this structure seems admirably calculated to accomplish; and although some authors mention insects also as their food, I apprehend it is only in the absence of other larger prey more suited to the construction of their bills.

Total length eight inches and a half. Bill two inches three lines from the gape, and one inch three quarters from the nostrils; upper mandible and margin and lip of the lower, black, the rest yellowish-white. The general plumage above is pale and changeable greenish-blue, the green predominating on the scapulars, head and tail; the upper part of the neck is crossed by a white collar, separated from the green of the head by a narrow margin of black, which pa.s.ses on the ear-feathers round the nape; a narrow whitish line runs from the nostrils to the eyebrows, and another very short one is beneath the eye; the whole of the under plumage white. Quills black edged with blue, the second, third and fourth equal and longest. Wings four inches and a quarter. Tail even, near three inches long, above blue-green, beneath black. Feet dusky; middle and outer claws much longer than the leg.

Inhabits Java and other parts of India, and is I believe unfigured. The line at the bottom of the plate is on the scale of an inch.

Since writing the above, Temminck's new edition of the _Manuel d'Ornithologie_ has just reached me, in which I perceive he has continued the birds of this genus under that of _Alcedo_, observing that their plumage is always shining, and that he can find no characters for their geographic distribution: yet, notwithstanding the opinion of this eminent ornithologist, a close attention will I believe prove, first, that no species of Linnaean _Alcedo_ bearing the characters of _Halcyon_ have yet been discovered as natives of America; and secondly, that species of genuine _Alcedo_ will be found with plumage quite devoid of any bright or shining colours. One or two exist in my own cabinet, but to which I cannot now refer.

The situation of _Halcyon_ will be between _Alcedo_ and _Dacelo_; from the last of which it is distinguished by its perfectly straight, acute, and entire upper mandible, which, on the contrary, in _Dacelo_ is notched, the tip bent and obtuse.

Pl. 28

[Ill.u.s.tration]

HESPERIA Haworthiana.

_Haworth's Hesperia._

GENERIC CHARACTER.

_Antennae mediocres vel elongatae, rectae, graciles; clava subterminali, brevi, cra.s.sata, cylindracea; unco abrupto, brevi, ac.u.minato. Palpi in fronte compressi, incurvati, lateribus convexis vel angulatis, articulo ultimo erecto, verticali. Alae (sedentes) erectae._

DIVISIONES.

I. _Palpi lati, in fronte compressissimi. Antennae breves, clava cra.s.sissima._

II. _Palpi pene quadrati, cra.s.sissimi. Antennae elongatae._

III. _Palpi articulo ultimo longiore, gracile. Antennae mediocres._

Typus Genericus _Hesperia Comma_ Auctorum.

Antennae moderate or elongated, straight, slender, the club nearly terminal, short, thick, cylindric, ending in an abrupt, short and pointed hook. Palpi compressed, incurved in front of the head, the sides convex or angular; the last joint erect, pointing vertically.

Wings when at rest erect.

DIVISIONS.

I. Palpi broad, very compressed in front. Antennae short, the club very thick.

II. Palpi nearly square, very thick. Antennae elongated.

III. Palpi with the last joint lengthened, slender. Antennae moderate.

Generic Type _Hesperia Comma_ of Authors.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_Hesp. (Div. 2.) alis supra nigrescente-fuscis, basi nitido-caeruleis, anticis fascia mediali hyalina, posticis subtus fuscis, lineis duabus longitudinalibus viridi-flavis; pedibus fusco-aurantiis._

Hesperia (Div. 2.). Wings above blackish-brown, the base shining blue; anterior with a medial hyaline band; posterior beneath brown, with two longitudinal yellow-green lines. Legs brownish-orange.