44 Mr. li. B. Sharpe's Contributions to the 



The acquisition of this specimen will, I trust, extinguish 

 Bonaparte's L. schwaneri as a species; for I have carefully 

 compared Mr. Everett^s bird with a series of L. lucionensis, 

 lent me by Mr. Swinhoe, and there cannot be any doubt as 

 to their complete identity. Count Salvadori and Mr. Swinhoe 

 have both expressed their belief that this would be the case. 



52. Irena turcosa. 



Irena cyanea (Begbie) ; Salvad. I. c. p. 151. 



a. "Sibu. Iris red." 



b. "No. 45. 6. Jambusan, Sept. 11, 1874. Iris fiery 

 orange-red." 



The latter specimen is somewhat immature, as is evidenced 

 by the remains of a few green plumes on the abdomen ; the 

 mixture of orange-colour in the iris, as noted by Mr. Everett, 

 is also a probable sign of immaturity. 



With reference to the different species of Irena Lord Wal- 

 den^s excellent remarks (Ibis, 1871, p. 171) should be studied. 

 At present four species are known, viz. : — 1. /. cyanogastra, 

 Vig., from the Philippines ; 2. /. turcosa, Walden, from Java ; 

 3. I.puella (Lath.), from Malabar; 4. /. cyanea (Begbie), from 

 Malacca. The length of the tail-coverts is a distinguishing 

 feature in these birds ; but as Count Salvadori notices a ten- 

 dency to vary in this respect, I have examined, the series of 

 skins in the British Museum with a view to test the stability 

 of this character. 



Travancore {Capt. Biddulph). Both upper and under tail- 

 coverts short, not reaching within 1^ inch of tip of tail ; three 

 of the inner greater wing-coverts tipped with blue. 



Tenasserim (J. D. C. Packman) . Two specimens agreeing 

 with the foregoing example, resembling it in size, length of 

 under tail-coverts, and in having large blue tips to the three 

 innermost greater coverts. 



Siam {Mouhot) . This bird seems a little deeper in colour, 

 but is otherwise the same as the Indian species ; four greater 

 coverts tipped with blue. 



All the above are referable to /. puella. 



Malacca {Wallace). The tail-coverts are here very much 

 longer, but do not come within half an inch of the tip of the 



