- Ceyx argentata Tweeddale, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (1877), 20, (4), 533; Proc. Zool. Soc. (1878), pl. 6, 108; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1892), 17, 187; Hand-List (1900), 2, 53.
- Alcyone argentata McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 52.
Basilan (Bourns & Worcester); Dinagat (Everett); Mindanao (Everett, Koch & Schadenberg, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Goodfellow, Celestino).
Adult.—Sexes similar; upper parts, wings, and sides of head black; bases of loral feathers white; sides of crown from above eyes to nape with small white spots; back, rump, and upper tail-coverts white, resulting from the wide tips to the feathers; white tip of each feather preceded by a light blue bar which is more or less concealed; a large white patch on each side of neck; chin, throat, and fore breast pure white, forming a well-defined patch; thighs and middle of abdomen white; remainder of under parts black, the breast and sides of abdomen strongly washed with blue; greater secondary-coverts with white tips; edge of wing and most of wing-lining white; axillars black. “Eyes black, feet red; nails and bill black.” (Celestino.) A male from northern Mindanao is 152 in length; wing, 64; tail, 27; culmen from base, 41; tarsus, 10. A female from the same region is 150 in length; wing, 60; tail, 22; culmen from base, 39; tarsus, 10.
In some specimens the white patch behind ear-coverts is washed with buff and some of the median secondary-coverts are tipped with pale blue. These characters are probably due to immaturity.
“We obtained four specimens in Mindanao and one in Basilan; it is extremely rare in the latter island, at least in the portion over which we collected. Like A. cyanopectus and A. nigrirostris it is invariably found along the banks of wooded streams.”
“Iris very dark brown; legs and feet scarlet, much darker in some specimens than in others; nails red to black. Three males from Mindanao measure, 145 in length; wing, 59; tail, 21; culmen, 39; tarsus, 9; middle toe with claw, 15. A female from Basilan measures, 143 in length; wing, 61; tail, 28; culmen, 39; tarsus, 9; middle toe with claw, 16.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
273. ALCYONE FLUMENICOLA (Steere).
STEERE’S RIVER KINGFISHER.
- Ceyx flumenicola Steere, List. Birds & Mams. Steere Exped. (1890), 10.
- Ceyx fluminicola Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1892), 17, 187; Hand-List (1900), 2, 53.
- Alcyone fluminicola McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 53.
Leyte (Everett, Steere Exp., Whitehead); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead).