Ceyx goodfellowi Grant, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club. (1905), 16, 17;
Ibis (1906), 6, 492.
Mindanao (Goodfellow).
"Adult male.--Most nearly allied to C. malamaui Steere [=bournsi],
but the back, rump, and upper tail-coverts are of a brilliant
ultramarine-blue, tinged with cobalt on the middle of the lower back
and rump; the feathers of the crown and nape are also tipped with
much of the same brilliant color; the wing-coverts and scapulars like
those of C. malamaui, are of a deep purplish blue. 'Iris dark brown;
bill, feet, and nails bright vermilion.' (Goodfellow.) Length, 127;
wing, 63; tail, 22; culmen, 39; tarsus, 10." (Grant.)
This species, described from a single specimen, is doubtfully distinct
from Ceyx bournsi.
Genus HALCYON Swainson, 1821.
Bill large; culmen from base less than tail, rounded not flattened;
birds of medium size and various bright colors. The species here
included in Halcyon are by some authors assigned to at least three
genera but, other than their style of coloration, the genera Sauropatis
and Callialcyon seem to have no tangible characters. Halcyon hombroni,
lindsayi, and moseleyi stand apart from the other Philippine species
of the genus because of their short stout bill, longer tail, and
peculiar spotted plumage. The genus Actenoides might be used for
these three species.
Species.
a1. Scapulars and wing-coverts unspotted.
b1. Bill entirely red.
c1. Crown uniform in color with wings and tail; above dark
rufous-brown washed with lilac. ... coromandus (p. 319)
c2. Crown not uniform in color with wings and tail.
d1. Crown chestnut-rufous; lower back bright greenish
blue. ... gularis (p. 320)
d2. Crown black; lower back ultramarine-blue. ... pileatus
(p. 321)
b2. Bill mostly black.
c1. Collar and spot in front of eye rufous-brown. ... winchelli
(p. 322)
c2. Collar and spot in front of eye white. ... chloris (p. 323)
a2. Scapulars and wing-coverts more or less spotted.
b1. Crown and back blue. ... hombroni (p. 324)
b2. Crown and back green.
c1. Breast-feathers edged with green. ... lindsayi (p. 325)
c2. Breast-feathers edged with black. ... moseleyi (p. 326)