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. azare 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 
