IRENA PUELLA. 



Indian Fairy Bluebird. 



Fairy Roller, Latham, Gen. Synopsis, Suppl. p. 87. 



Coracias puella, Lath. Ind. Orn. p. 171. — Daudin, Traite, ii. p. 264. 



Irena puella, Jerdon, Madras Journal, xiii. p. 262. — Mc Clell. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1839, p. 160. — Gray, Gen. Birds, 

 i. p. 288, pi. 70. %. 3 (1847).— Horsf. & Moore, Cat. of Birds Mus. E.I. Co. p. 273 (1854).— Jerdon, 

 B. India, ii. p. 105 (1863).— Gray, Hand-1. Birds, i. p. 288 (1869).— Stoliczka, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. 

 xxxix. pt. 2, p. 318 (1870).— Wald. Ibis, 1871, p. 170.— Holdsw. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1872, p. 452.— 

 Wald. Ibis, 1873, p. 306. — Armstrong, Stray Feathers, 1876, p. 326. — Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. 

 hi. p. 268 (1877).— Pairbank, Str. F. 1877, p. 406.— Hume & Davison, Stray Feathers, 1878, pp. 328, 

 516.— Hume, Str. F. 1879, p. 99.— Legge, Birds of Ceylon, p. 466 (1880).— Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. 

 Mus. vi. p. 177 (1881). 



Irena indica, A. Hay, in Blyth's Report, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xv. p. 309 (1846). — Bonap. Consp. i. p. 349 (1850). 



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This is the best-known of all the Fairy Bluebirds; and, in giving several illustrations of the different speeies 

 of the genus Irena, I have been desirous of illustrating one of the most interesting and peculiar forms of 

 Asiatic bird-life. The systematic position of the genus Irena has been one that has puzzled a good many 

 naturalists ; and it has been variously placed in the families Dicruridae and Brachypodidae. Mr. Bowdler 

 Sharpe placed the genus among the Dicruridae in the third volume of the * Catalogue of Birds ;' but, 

 recognizing his mistake, he has lately, in his sixth volume, republished the descriptions, and classified the 

 genus with the Bulbuls. To this conclusion he was led by the arguments used by the late Marquis of 

 Tweeddale, in his critique on the third volume of the ' Catalogue of Birds ;' and I do not think I can do 

 better than reproduce some of the observations made by his Lordship on that occasion. 



"Irena. The true systematic position of this genus has divided the opinions of ornithologists ever since 

 Horsfield founded it. Temminck first classed it among the Dicruridae; and so have other authors since, and 

 Mr. Sharpe does the same. Jerdon placed it (following Blyth) among the short-legged Thrushes, and made 

 it constitute a separate subfamily, Ireninae, the third among the Brachypodidae, arranging it between the 

 Phyllornithinae and the Oriolinae. In Jerdon's view I must undoubtedly concur. The affinity between Irena 

 and Dicrurus is more apparent than real ; it is an affinity of mimicry at best. The contour of the bill has a 

 superficial resemblance; but the margins of the commissure are inflected in Irena ; in Dicrurus they are 

 spreading. In the last the rictal bristles are developed (a certain indication of insectivorous habits) ; in Irena 

 they are short, weak, almost absorbed. In the gradation of the quills there is some analogy; but in Irena, 

 the 3rd, 4th, and 5th are usually equal and longest, whereas in Dicrurus the 3rd is generally shorter than the 

 4th and 5th. Beyond these points all resemblance ceases. The tarsus and feet are short and weak in Irena ; 

 the toes and nails are singularly slender for the size of the body; and the outer toe is free, whereas in 

 Dicrurus it is ankylosed up to the first joint. The tail consists of twelve rectrices, and not of ten ; and 

 this character of itself removes Irena from the Dicruridae, according to Mr. Sharpe's own definition. The 

 plumage is of a totally different character. The skin in Irena is especially tender ; in Dicrurus it is 

 exceedingly tough. In Dicrurus the sexes wear the same plumage, even the ornate plumes; in Irena the 

 male has a brilliant and the female a sombre attire. Every species of Irena has a number of fine nuchal 

 hairs, which are wanting in Dicrurus. This last character (unknown to Blyth and Jerdon), together with 

 the short and weak feet, indicates a great affinity to Criniger. The Dicruri are insectivorous, some even 

 killing small birds, whereas Irena is frugivorous. The structure of the sternum in Dicrurus is, I believe, 

 different from that of Irena. The notes of Irena are those of Oriolus, and have no similarity to those of 

 Dicrurus" 



The Indian Fairy Bluebird is found in the forests of Southern India. Jerdon states it is far from 

 uncommon in the lofty jungles of Malabar, and he also met with it in forests near Palghautcherry, Trichoor, 

 the Wynaad, and on the Coonoor Ghat as high as 4000 feet and upwards ; it is also found in Travancore, 

 in the Neilgherri Mountains, and the Palani Hills, ranging as high as 4000 feet in the latter locality 

 according to Dr. Fairbank, who also met with it in the Sawant-wade woods in the Khandala district. It is 

 very rare in Ceylon, having only been known to occur in that island on three occasions, twice near Kandy, and 

 once near Saffragam. Although it has been said to have been met with near Sehwan, in Scinde, Mr. Hume 

 has pointed out that it was in all probability a caged specimen which had been killed, as this locality is so 

 far out of the bird's range that it is scarcely possible for it to have occurred in a wild state. It is not 

 known from any part of the Himalayas until Sikkim is reached ; but eastwards from that country it occurs 



