Fairn Til ue- Birds. 97 



and with' a silvoiy sJioon ; foidirad, siilos of face, tail am! enlire- 

 lUKln-.-uifacf lirh vi'lvcty h'ack ; hill and le^'s black; iiis iiihy- 

 ml. Tdtal Icii-fJi 8' indies, tail 3^ indu's. (Tho inidei- tail- 

 oovcit-s cxictid lii'>()iid tip of tail). 



.4.(1 hII Finiiilc: DifTors fiom the liialo, being- dull Prussian 

 hlui', )iio-t (if thr I'lMllii'is having du^ky centres, washed with cobalt 

 on llii- runij) and upper tail coverts; wings aiul tail dark broAvn, 

 the coveits and quills narrowly edged, and the coverts and second - 

 ai-ies washed with blue. 



"Hahilaf: .lava" (B.M.C.). 



The title on lioutispiecc should he .lavan Fairy Blue 

 Bii'd. This plaic has been in course of preparation for a 

 long- period, and tlie i-op/ular designation of the genus "Fairy 

 Blue Bird," was then applied to tliis speeies before T had 

 looked up the genus. 



Dur meml)er, Mr. }Iul)ert D. Astley, kindly responded 

 to my request and sent me the followin.g notes of this exquisite 

 species: 



"iThe leautiful pair of Fairy Blue-Birds, which were 

 "brought over by Mr. Goodfellow some three or four years 

 "ago, in a wonderful collection made for Mrs. Johnstone, 

 "came into my possession. 



"Tlic fomale unfortunately met with an accident, 

 "being disturbed, probably by Owls, at nig-lit; banging- her 

 "head; and although she lived for some time, she never 

 "really recovered, and finally died." 



''Tn captivity these birds are apt to eat too much 

 "and take insufficient exercise, feeding chiefly on banana and 

 "other fruits. They passed two summers in an out-door 

 "aviarj'. but never attempted to nest, sitting rather sluggishly 

 " in the bushes. 



" When the male bird was on the wing, he was a most 

 "beautiful sight, the blue of the Kingfisher being dull com- 

 " pared with his ujiper parts of brilliant turquoise, wliich 

 "locked like silk with underparts of black velvet. A lady, 

 "who formerly passed many years in the Malay Archipelago, 

 "told me that these birds are known as Coffee Birds, be- 

 " cause they always i)ut in an appearance in the 'Coffee 

 "plai'taticns, to feed on the I'ipe berries. The Fairy Blue 

 "Bird has a melodious twitter, or call note; but I never 

 "beard the male give out any marked song-. Their short 



