Blue Wren from Kwy Island, Bass Strait. 11 



were the Dark Blue Wrens, because of their thrilling little 

 songs, and more especially on account of the beauty of the 

 males in their rich plumage of exquisite blue set in velvety 

 black. These l)irds did not seem at all shy, but boldly 

 displayed their lovely little bodies, with tail erect, on the 

 top of any convenient bush. A nest I took in tussock-grass 

 near our main camp on the Yellow Rock rivulet is similar 

 to those of the other species, Avhile the eggs are the largest 

 of all those of the Maluri. 



Comparative dimensions in inches of Blue Wrens (males) : 



Length. Bill. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. 



M.ellzabeUM o-7o •;« 2-1 2 3-) TO 



M. (jouldi (Sharpe) o'O -33 2'0o 2-3 -8 



M. a/aneus (Ellis) .rO -28 2-0 2-2 -8 



M. ci/anochlami/s (Sharpe) . . 4-7-5 '3 2-0 2-O.j 'To 



Possibly some ornithologists will be inclined to regard 

 these four birds as referable to one species under different 

 environments. If so, then they will have to show cause A\hy 

 the following should not also be united, namely : — M. dorsalis 

 (Lewin) with M. nielaiiocephalas ( Vig, & Horsf.), M. melanotus 

 (Gld.) with M. caUahms (Gld.), and M. lamberti (Vig. & 

 Horsf.) with M. pulcherrimus (Gld,), becanse in these three 

 pairs of birds the individuals have apparently been separated 

 one from another on the base of colouring only, the shade 

 of colouring, however, being constant within their respective 

 geographical areas. 



While touching on geographical distribution, I may 

 mention that the western bird, M. pulcherrimus, which has 

 not been recorded further east than Central Australia, I 

 have found more than once in theMallee district of Victoria, 

 where it has a black throat. This bird Gould has figured 

 and described as having the throat and breast " intense 

 indigo-blue," while Dr. Sharpe in the British Museum 

 Catalogue describes these parts as "deep black." Should 

 there really be a Malurus in South-west Australia with an 

 indigo throat, then there is also a black-throated variety 

 intermediate between it and M. laiuberti on the east coast, or 

 else, as I have endeavoured to explain, M. pulcherrimus and 

 M» lamberti are possibly synonymous. 



