108 Mr. W. R. Ogilvle-Grant on Birds 



Adult male. Iris dark brown ; bill black ; feet dark ash- 

 colour or black. 



Adult female. Like the male, but the feet are pinkish- 

 brown. 



Immature. Very similar to the adult, but feet dark or 

 pale brown. 



In the above series there are eighteen males and eleven 

 females; fourteen of the former being in the adult black 

 and white dress ; the remaii)ing four, together Avith the 

 females, being smoky-brown above and whitish below. Males 

 in full breeding-plumage were obtained in the months of 

 September, October, November, December, February, March, 

 and May ; the only long interval in our dates between the 

 months of June and August being bridged over by three 

 males in full dress from the Utakwa River, obtained by 

 A. S. Meek in July, and by examples from Arfak killed in 

 June, and from Simbang procured in August and September. 



Speaking of the males of the Australian Malurus Gould 

 [Handb. B. Austr. i. p. 317 (1865)] says :— " Their gay 

 attire, however, is only assumed during the pairing-season, 

 and is retained for a very short period, after which the sexes 

 are alike in colouring." Referring to this statement, Mr. A. 

 J. Campbell remarks : " Gould's statement needs modifi- 

 cation, for while the male Wrens do change their dress, they 

 do not ' retain it for a short period ' but for eight or nine 

 months of the year, or excepting the moulting season " 

 [Nests & Eggs Austr. Birds, i. p. 165 (1901)]. This 

 statement is fully confirmed by observations made by Mr. D. 

 Seth-Smith on certain species of Malu7ms living in the 

 Zoological Gardens at Regent's Park. The eclipse-plumage 

 is very irregularly assumed and only retained for a short 

 period. 



On the other hand, Mr. A. J. North maintains that males 

 of the various species of Malurus may be seen in full dress 

 throughout the year, and that the individual having once 

 attained its full adult livery always retains it. This is 

 certainly a mistake as regards Australian species, probably 

 caused by individual irregularity of the dates at which the 

 eclipse-plumage is assumed. 



