100 Fairy Blue- Birds. 



"should be divided into two races. — Hugh Whistler." 



I hope, that, if any of our memDbrs obtain this line 

 .species, they will carefully note the plumage on arrival and 

 at ec,ch subsequent moult, though, of course, only the suc- 

 cessful rearing of the young, or capture of birds in nestling 

 plumage can satisfactorily clear up the points Mr. Whistler 

 refers to. There are, however, more species than is generally 

 acknowledged, which assume, or partially assume, the adult 

 plumage without a moult. 



Adult Male: Entire upper plumag'e, scapulars lesser and 

 median wing -coverts and under tail -coverts glistening- ultramarine - 

 blue, with lilacine reflections; wings, tail, sides of the head, and 

 entire undersuiface vvelvety black; the greater wing-coverts tip- 

 ped and the central tail feathers washed with blue; bill and legs 

 black; iris ruby red. Total length 10 inches, tail 4'. (The 

 unaor tail-oovcrts are short, compared with the other species, and 

 only extend to within 1| inches of tip of tail). 



Adult Female: Entire plumage, dull brownish blue, with 

 the margins of the feathers brighter blue, lightly waslied with 

 oobalt on the rump and upper taU -coverts and the brown hue less 

 distinct on the undersurface. 



Habitat: Ceylon; the westei-^n coast of India from Travan- 

 core up to the latitude of Belgaum and Sawant Wari; Sikhim and 

 the lower ranges of the> Himalayas to Dibrugarh in Assam; the 

 Khasi hills; Cachar; Manipur; Arrakan; Pegu, Tenasserim; the 

 Aiidamans and Nioobars. This species is confined entirely to 

 the evergreen forests of the hills and plains, and it is found up 

 to about 4^000 feet of elevation. It extends some distance down 

 the Malay Peninsular and into Siam. — (''Fauna of Brit. India: 

 Birds" 0. and B.). 



Thk Twekdale's Faiky Blue Bird. (/. ■UveedalU). 

 Adult Male: Crown of head, nape, and entire upper surface^ 

 scapulars, lesser and median wing-coverts, and under tail-coverts 

 shining turquoise -blue, the top of the head with a silvery sheen; 

 sides of head; sides of neck, wings (some of the greater coverts) 

 tipped with blue, tail and entim under surface velvety black; 

 bill and legs black; iris carmine. Total length 8 inches, tail 

 3| inches. 



Adult Female: Above and below dull Prussian blue, more 

 or less mottled with dusky -brownish; wings and tail dark brown, 

 outer webs washed with blue. 



Habiiat: Island of Balabac, Philippines." (B.M.C.). 

 IThe Malaccan Faiky Blue Bikd (/. cyanea). 



Adult Male: Similar to /. criniger, but the under tail- 

 coverts do not extend to the tip of the tail — distance between tip 



