( 409" ) 
tints of colours, as it slips with ease through upper branches of trees 
in persuit of some of the swifter insects on the wing, the sight is 
surprising and quite repays a few minutes observation. Now and 
then it opens its wings to hover in the air or fly off to another tree. 
The momentary flashes of azure or turquoise blue or the tints of 
yellow are most striking. This bird looks extremely graceful, as it 
slips with ease and rapidity through the branches of trees or big 
bushes, in their chase after winged termites and moths, halting now 
and then to examine a likely place where insects might be secreted. 
It seems to display but little reverence for rare and beautiful butter- 
flies. This chloropsis has a pretty song. It is seen to no small ad- 
vantage in the orange groves in Sikkim, when the blossoms are yet 
on the trees. 
GENUS IRENA, or Fairy Blue-Birds, are of glistening blue colour ; 
legs and feet short; bill more depressed than proceeding groups, 
strong and of moderate length, culmen raised, tip toothed and slight- 
ly hooked ; rictal bristles present ; wings longish 3rd and 4th quills 
the longest ; tail moderate ; farsus very short; claws short and 
curved. 
(469) IRENA PUELLA, Fairy Bluc-Bird, is one of the handsomest 
birds found in the district. Its brilliant plumage cannot easily be 
overlooked. Jrena is rare and diftcult to find at times. Some 
years they are more frequently observed. J have noticed them, 
now and again, between 4,000 to 5,000 feet fairly high up among 
thick branches of timber trees, which hillmen call panisaj. 1 can- 
not account for this partiality, also simul (cotton,) trees when in 
flower, the warmer portions of Sikkim and the district. Puella is 
10 inches in size ; plumage, above of male is a brilliant glistening 
cobalt blue ; lower feathers are deep velvetty black ; wings and_ tail 
also black ; bill is stout and longish, wider at the base than proceed- 
ing birds; irides ruby coloured. Fairy Blue-Bird has a fine rich 
song. It feeds chiefly on fruit and nectar of flowers, insects at 
a push. 
Sup-Famity ORIOLINL, (Orioles) 
There appears to be a fairly big step between Blue-birds and 
Orioles, nevertheless they have several qualities in common, into 
which we need not enter at present. Orioles are so. well-known 
that a description of them seems hardly necessary, except an aid to 
distinguish the different species. ‘Their prominent or rather typical, 
bright yellow, prevailing colour marks them out, readily enough 
