266 DICRURID^. 



Range. Indiaa peninsula, Indo-Chinese countries, Malayan pe- 

 ninsula ; Java ; Sumatra ; Borneo ; Philippine Islands. 



Keij to the Species. 



a. Underneath deep purplish blue. 



a'. Mantle deep purplish blue ci/anoffastm, p. 266. 



b'. Mantle velvety black melanochlamyi, p. 266. 



h. Underneath black. 



c'. Under tail-eoverts reaching to the tip, or , fff,.gQgfi p 9(57 



even beyond the tip of the tail [ crmujer,^^2Q7. 



d'. Under tail-coverts not reaching to the tip - 

 of the tail. 

 «". Under tail-coverts falling short of the tip 

 of the tail by more than length of tarsus. 

 a'". Enamelled blue feathers of a deep pur- 

 plish shade puella, p. 26S. 



6". Enamelled blue feathers of a dull ver- 



diter tweeddalii, p. 263. 



h". Under tail-coverts reaching nearly to the 

 tip of the tail, not falling short of it by 

 as much as the length of the tarsus .... cyanea, p. 269. 



1. Irena cyanogastra. 



Irena cyanogastra, Viqors, P. Z. S. 1831, p. 97 ; Gra>/ ^ Mitch. Gen. 

 B. i. p. 288, pi. 70'; Bp. Consp. i. p. 349 ; Cass. U.S. Expl E.vp., 

 Aves, p. 143; Gray, Iland-l. B. i. p. 288; Walden, Tr. Z. S. ix. 

 p. 190. 



Adult male. General colour above deep purplish blue, slightly 

 varied on the rump with a.shy brown, where the bases of the 

 feathers show through ; the scapulars resembling the back : least 

 and median wing-coverts deep cobalt-blue, the greater series black, 

 shading off into deep cobalt at the tip, very slightly on the outer- 

 most, conspicuously on the inner ones ; primary-coverts black, the 

 quills black, the inner secondaries externally deep cobalt like the 

 wing-coverts, the greater upper tail-coverts deep cobalt, brighter 

 than the lower back ; tail black, washed with deep purple, more 

 plainly on the centre feathers ; crown of head and nape deep cobalt- 

 blue, a little brighter on the fore part of the crown ; lores, sides of 

 face and of neck, entire throat and chest, black ; rest of under sur- 

 face deep purplish blue like the back ; under tail- coverts deep cobalt- 

 blue ; thighs and under wing-coverts brown, washed with purplish 

 blue ; iris red. Total length 10 inches, culmen 1-15, wing o-35 

 tail 4-4, tarsus 0-85. 



Sexes alike {Meyer ; cf. Walden., I. c). 



Hah. Philippii.e Islands. 



a, b. Ad. St. Manila. Hugh Cuming, Esq. [C.]. 



2. Irena melanocMamys. 



Adidt male (type of species). Crown of head and nape glistening 

 purplish cobalt, extending to the middle of the hind neck ; sides 



