258 SYLVIAS. 



The whole length of the bird six inches. From the 

 carpus to the end of the longest quill-feather, two inches 

 and seven-eighths : the first feather very short ; the second 

 equal to the sixth ; the third, fourth, and fifth nearly equal 

 in length, but the fourth the longest in the wing. 



Females resemble the males in the uniform colour of the 

 upper parts ; the tail-feathers not so bright : the chin and 

 upper part of the throat white, bounded below by a cres- 

 cent-shaped patch of blue mixed with some black, the 

 horns of which are directed upwards, encircling the white ; 

 below the blue colour the breast is pale reddish brown : 

 belly and flanks dull white. Some old females have the 

 blue and white almost equal in colour to that of the males. 



The young in their first feathers resemble the young of 

 the Redbreast. 



Young males after their first moult resemble adult fe- 

 males; the blue -colour increasing by degrees on the chin, 

 sides of the neck, and throat, till the white is reduced to a 

 central patch. 



The vignette below represents the nest and eggs of this 

 species. 



