of Hongkong, Macao, and Canton. 41 



61. Xanthopygia NARCissiNA (Tcmm.). Cantonese, "Tsoey 

 fa c/iag." 



Common about Canton. They often fly down to the ground 

 or skim along its surface in the pursuit of an insect. In the 

 various evolutions of flight, the bright golden colour of the 

 rump and throat shows to advantage. I procured a female for 

 the first time, and was surprised to find how much it difi"ers 

 from the male. 



As the male only is figured by Temminck, I here give a sketch 

 of the female : — 



Bill, upper mandible black, lower bluish grey. Legs pale violet- 

 grey. Iris dark. Inside of mouth pale yellowish flesh-colour. 

 Upper parts obscure olive-green, with a blackish olive patch on 

 each cheek. Wings and tail hair-brown, the former margined 

 with paler. Some white feathers occur on the shoulder ; and the 

 rump-feathers have whitish bases. Throat and indistinct eye- 

 streak orange-yellow. Breast dingy olive-yellow. The remain- 

 ing under-parts washed with ochreous. 



Length 5 in., expanse 7|, wing 2|, tail 2. 



62. NiLTAVA CYANOMEL/EXA, Temm. Cantonese, " Moeg fa 

 tsoey." 



A few of these occurred in Hongkong in April, but in Canton 

 for the first fortnight in that month they were remarkably abun- 

 dant near the city walls. Almost every mound or grave-stone 

 had its Blue Bird standing erect, on the look-out for the passing 

 insect. I was much struck with the appearance of a brown bird, 

 of similar habits and seen in similar positions. This I found to 

 be the female of the blue, — the one I shot having an almost 

 uniform olive-brown plumage. But a single blue feather on the 

 crown of the head convinced me of the identity of the birds, 

 before I had the opportunity of determining the sexes by dis- 

 section. 



As the male only has been described in the ' Fauna Japonica,' 

 I here extract from my journal the desci'iption of the female : — 



Bill blackish brown. Legs greyish brown. Iris dark brown. 

 Inside of mouth yellowish flesh-colour. Upper parts olive- 

 brown ; rump redder ; tail fringed with reddish brown. Wings 



