Malurus gouldii and Maliirus cyaneios. 67 



Bill, black. 



The " winter browns " are coming all over the body, and ex- 

 cepting the doubtful feathers of the forehead the bird is a 

 thorough moulter of its blues and blue-blacks. 



Specimen 5. — Adult male, more than 3 years old, 20/4/98. 

 This skin is apparently one of those that attain their nuptial 

 plumage in autumn, as the back, neck and throat shew all the 

 brown feathers to be old. About 75% of the blues of the body 

 are now shown, and are new, while the remaining 25% are 

 appearing to view beneath the plumage. 



Cheeks : Blues coming and matured ; no browns. 



Forehead and crown : Blues in large quantity bursting into 

 full feather ; no browns. 



Neck : Blacks are quite new, in different stages of growth. 



Mantle : Blues in large quantity bursting into bloom. 



Back : New blacks appearing ; " browns," old. 



Lower chest and abdominal feathers are fairly white. 



Secondary quills have the margins of the outer webs washed 

 with blue ; (sign of old age.) 



Specimen 6. — Adult male (approx. 3 years' old), 23/3 99. Of 

 twenty skins in my cabinet that are in semi-liveried plumage this 

 is the only one that presents a problem to us, for it is gaining 

 new " blues " and " browns," and has some of the black-collar 

 feathers crescently tipped with brown. As the blues and blacks 

 predominate, it appears to me as a bird trying to attain its 

 nuptial plumage in autumn as is customary with a small 

 percentage. 



Complement of " blues " are near 60% of spring plumage. 



Forehead and crown show new " blues and browns." 



Cheeks : New " blues and browns ;" the blues in the majority. 



Neck : Blacks coming in large numbers with two or three 

 " browns." 



Mantles : " Blues " seem old ; browns are coming while some 

 appear aged. 



Throat and ui)per breast : Both " blue-blacks and greyish- 

 whites " are new, the greys being in the minority. 



Back : The black plumage is new. 



Feathers of abdomen : Creamy white. 



Secondary quills have not attained the bluish-green wash ; 

 fifth, sixth, and tenth wing quills not yet developed. 



5a 



