SUB-GENUS LILLIA, (BOIB, 1859.) 267 



? Length, 8-2; expanse, 14-25;* wing, 5-26 ;* fail, 4*5; 

 fork, 2'2 ; tarsus, 0*65 ; bill from gape, 0*65 ; weight, l - 2oz. 



Bill, black, fleshy white at gape ; legs and feet, black or 

 purplish black; claws black; irides deep brown. 



Forehead, crowj: occiput nape and mantle, shining blue 

 black ; wings and tail black, with a strong bine gloss. 



Chin, throat, cheeks, ear-coverts, entire lower suface (except 

 the terminal 1 inch of the lower tail-coverts which are shin- 

 ing blue black) and rump band {about I"2 wide) deep chestnut, 

 deepest on the chin throat, face and rump. The terminal 0'4 

 to 06 of the upper tail coverts blue glossed black. Only 

 faint traces of darker shafts to the feathers of the lower parts 

 not noticeable in most specimens until closely looked into, none 

 on the ear coverts. 



Shafts of the earlier primaries black, not paling perceptibly 

 towards bases. 



In the much smaller hyperythra, the bill is proportionately, 

 and indeed I think even actually, larger; is broader and 

 much less compressed towards the point. 



I have compared six Ceylon specimens of hyperythra with 

 four of archetes shot at Kuroo, 26 miles N. W. of Malacca, 

 and I do not think that there can be the remotest doubt 

 as to the entire distinctness of the two species. The extreme 

 brilliancy of the plumage and the large size marks out this 

 Malayan form as a veritable " Prince" amongst Swallows. — 

 A. O. H. 



% 3lcnopap{r of tlje Ctnngrik or family of 

 Bttn*birJb0.t 



By Captain G. E. Shelley, &c, &c. 



We have now received three parts of Captain Shelley's 

 beautiful work, and propose to give a brief review of their 

 contents. 



We may commence by remarking that it has been asserted 

 that the title of the group would more correctly stand as 

 Nectarinida, apparently because, although Nectarinida of Boie 

 is junior to Cinnyrida of Vigors, Nectarinia of Illiger as the 

 oldest genus, should " give the name to the larger group/ 



* First primary not fully grown. 



+ London, published by the author at the office of the British Ornithologists' 

 Union, 6, Tenterden Street, Hanover Square, W. To be completed in 12 parts ; each 

 price one guinea. Address the author, 32, Chesham Place, London, or the Uuards' 

 Club, Pall Mall, London, or R. H. Porter, 6, Tenterden Street. 



