The TRUE PARADISE ALCYON (_Tanysiptera sylvia_), one of the most refulgent
members of this group, is bright blue on the crown of the head, wings, and
two outer tail-feathers; the cheek, back of the throat, and mantle are
black; and a triangular patch between the shoulders, the rump, and the two
centre flowing tail-feathers pure white. The entire under side is brownish
red; the beak and foot are bright red. The body measures ten inches; the
wing two inches and two-thirds, and the tail two inches and three-quarters.
Gould tells us that this beautiful bird, which has at present only
been met with at Cape York, on the northern coast of Australia, never
alights upon the ground, but is usually seen perched upon a bare twig
or parasitical plant, from whence it darts upon its insect prey, always
returning at once to its perch. Its flight is remarkably rapid. The cry
of this species, which resembles the syllables "wee-wee-wee," is usually
uttered when the bird is stationary. Owing to its extreme timidity,
the _Tanysiptera sylvia_ is extremely difficult to obtain; indeed, the
sportsman may follow it for an hour at a time without the chance of a fair
shot. According to the natives, the three white eggs laid by the female
are deposited in ant-hills.
Two other nearly allied species, the _Tanysiptera dea_ and the
_Tanysiptera nympha_, inhabit New Guinea, the Moluccas, and Philippine
Islands.
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The SAW-BEAKED ALCYONS (_Syma_) have a long, thin beak, broad at its base,
and compressed at its sides, furnished down two-thirds of its length with
numerous strong teeth-like appendages; the upper mandible projects beyond
the lower portion of the bill, and terminates in a sharp, slender tip; in
the short wing the third and fourth quills are of equal length, and longer
than the rest; the tail is of medium size, and very decidedly rounded.