174 BIRDS OF LA PLATA 



while a broad mark of velvet-black extends belt-wise 

 from the bend of each wing, but without meeting 

 in the centre of the bosom* The sides of the head are 

 deep blue ; over the blue runs a bright yellow stripe, 

 surmounted with the loose, slender, almost hair-like 

 feathers of the crown, which stand partially erect, 

 and are blue mixed with black, with vivid scarlet 

 in the centre. Above, from the back of the head to 

 the tail, the colour is deep green* The wings are 

 black, crossed with a white band ; tail also black, 

 the two outer quills pure white, and the succeeding 

 two partially white, the white colour appearing only 

 when the bird flies. Moreover, as though this diver- 

 sity of colour were not enough, the soles of the black 

 feet are bright orange, the eye of the male delicate 

 sky-blue, while the female has white eyes. 



While on the subject of the colouring of this 

 species, I will mention a curious phenomenon which 

 I have observed many times. When the bird is flying 

 away from the spectator in a strong sunlight, and is 

 at a distance of from twenty to thirty yards from 

 him, the upper plumage, which is dark green, some- 

 times appears bright blue. At first I thought that a 

 distinct species of Cyanotis, cerulean blue in colour, 

 existed, but finally became convinced that the green 

 feathers of the C, azarae appear blue in certain 

 lights. This is curious, as the feathers of the back 

 are not glossed. 



The Many-coloured Tyrant is, apparently, a very 

 feeble flier, rising reluctantly when frightened from 

 the rushes, and fluttering away to a distance of a few 



