MALURUS CYANEUS, Vieillot 

 Superb Malurus. 



PLATE LXXIL Fig. 3. 



M. capite taenia suboculari, lmiulaque subnuchali cyaneis ; striga ante poneque ocu- 

 los, nucha dorsoque nigerrimis, gutture pectoreque intense cceruleo-nigris, ab- 

 domine albido, remigibus brunescentibus. 



Merion superbe; Malurus cyaneus, Vieill. Gall, des Ois. p. 265. pi. 163. 

 Malurus cyaneus, Vig. § Horsf. Trans. Linn. Soc. vol. xv. p. 221. 



Our plate represents the male of this beautiful little species. We have 

 lately received several specimens, but only one of a female, or young bird. 

 Mr Caley, in his Notes upon the Linnean Society's collection, says, that 

 " these birds, at least the brown ones, were very common about Paramatta, 

 particularly in my garden, where they come, frequently hopping about in 

 the hedges, or among the pea-sticks ; but I think I may safely say, that 

 there was not one blue one amongst a hundred of them . They are gregarious 

 and polygamous to appearance, unless I have been deceived by the young 

 birds possessing the plumage of the female. They are very good songsters." 

 It is probable that they would resort to the gardens after the labours of 

 incubation, and that the young and the females would then be particularly 

 abundant. The length of time also required by the males to perfect their 

 mature plumage, may be stated as another reason for their scarcity. 



Notwithstanding, however, the superabundance of females and young to 

 the males, specimens of the latter are much more frequent in this country, 

 which can only be attributed to the general wish of sale collectors to pro- 

 cure the most showy kinds. 



The length is about four and a half inches. The forehead and whole 

 crown, a streak from the corners of the mouth, running below the ears, 

 and a broad crescent on the upper part of the back, are deep ultramarine 

 blue ; the feathers on these parts are strong and unconnected in the webs, 



o 2 



