564 PICA ME LANG LEI CA. 



posed parts. The first quill is little more than a third of the 

 length of the longest, attenuated and falciform ; the second is 

 two inches longer ; the third one inch longer than the second ; 

 the fourth, which is longest, is half an inch longer than the 

 third ; or frequently the fifth is longest : the first six are 

 more or less attenuated on both webs. The secondary quills, 

 ten in number, are long, broad, and rounded, with a minute 

 tip. The tail is very long, being considerably longer than the 

 body, straight, of twelve broad feathers, which are rounded 

 with an acumen, and graduated from the middle. 



The bill and feet are black. The irides brown. The plu- 

 mage of the head, neck, fore part of the breast and back, the 

 rump, the abdomen, and the tibiae, black, w4th purplish-blue 

 reflections. The middle and hind jDart of the breast, and the 

 outer scapulars, pure white. The downy feathers of the back 

 are white or greyish- white at the tips. The primary quills are 

 blackish-brown, glossed with green, with a stripe of white on 

 the inner web near the shaft; the secondary quills and the 

 coverts are splendent with greenish-blue ; the lower wing- 

 coverts and axillars blackish-brown. The tail is splendent 

 with bright green, a band of purple near the end of each 

 feather, and its extremity blue and deep green. The feathers 

 of the throat have the shaft downy, and of a greyish colour. 



Length to end of tail 18 inches ; extent of wings 24 ; wing 

 from flexure 7i ; tail 10 ; bill along the back 1 inch 4^ 

 twelfths, along the edge of lower mandible lj% ; tarsus Ix^ ; 

 first toe j%, its claw 7i twelfths ; second toe j%^ its claw j% ; 

 third toe 1 inch 2 J twelfths, its claw j% ; fourth toe ^§, its 

 claw 4i twelfths. 



Female. — The female is similar, and little inferior in size. 

 Length to end of tail 17 inches, extent of wings 24. 



Variations. — ^Vhite individuals are very rarely met with. 

 Little change takes place in the j^lumage as the period of moult- 

 ing approaches, the only perceptible difference being a slight 

 fading of the tints. 



I have seen with Mr, Carfrae. Edinburgh, a discoloured in- 



