326 THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 



3. Seapularies chestnut-red. 



The Eed-winged Wren or Graceful Blue Wren, M. elegans. — West 

 Australia. Mantle and upper back silvery blue; tail greyish blue; 

 throat and breast blue black; abdomen buffy white. 



The Variegated Wren, M. laniberti. — South, South-east, and Eastern 

 Australia. Mantle and back cobalt blue, usually separated by the 

 overshadowing red of the scapulars; lower back and rump velvety 

 black; tail dull blue; throat and breast deep black; centre of body 

 whitish. 



The Purple-backed Blue Wren, M. assimilis. — Australia. Crown and sides 

 of the head purplish-blue; the feathers round the eye and the ear- 

 coverts rich cobalt, and the mantle and upper portion of the back 

 purplish-blue, the colour of these parts very similar to 

 M. pulcherrimus ; sides of neck, collar, and lower part of the back 

 black; shoulders chestnut; tail dull blue, all but the two central 

 feathers tipped with white. 



Bernier Island Blue Wren, M. iernieri. — Bernier Island, W.A. Nearly 

 allied to M. assimilis, but the feathers round the eye and the ear- 

 coverts are bright purplish-blue (not bright cobalt-blue), and contrast 

 but little with the darker purple-blue of the crown. Wing 1.8 inch. 



Iiavender-flanked Wren, M. dulcis. — Arnhem Land, N.A. Closely 

 allied to M. pulcherrimus, but has a black throat and the flanks 

 lavender-blue, not white as in M. . assimilis or sandy-buff as in 

 M. lamherti. Length 5.2 inches, wing 1.9, tail 2.3. The female is 

 bluish-grey above, and under surface pale buff, throat white, tail 

 dark blue. 



The Lovely Wren, M. amabilis. — North-east and North Australia. Hind 

 neck velvety black, succeeded by a band of deep cobalt blue across 

 the upper part of the mantle; centre of back and scapulars conspicu- 

 ously red; lower back bright blue; rump velvety black; tail blue; 

 throat and breast velvety blue-black; rest of under surface white. 

 The female of the species is blue, an exception to the general rule. 



The Blue-breasted Wren, M. pulcherrimus. — West Australia and interior of 

 South Australia. Hind neck velvety black; mantle and back 

 purplish -blue with a lilac tinge, separated by red; lower back and 

 rump deep blue-black; tail dull blue; throat and breast deep black; 

 abdomen creamy white. 



B. — Head lilac with large spot of black in the centre. 



The Puiple-crowned Wren, M. coronatus. — North-west Australia. Back 

 sandy brown; tail blue; under surface buflfy-white. Gould remarks 

 on the rare occurrence of this beautiful lilac tint in the plumage of 

 birds, finding a parallel in the nape of the Bower-birds (Chlamy- 

 dodera.) The Pink-eared Duck has ear feathers of much the same 

 tint. 



