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.)