156 MEROPID.E. 



like that of the kingfisher, varies according to the light from 

 blue to green. This colouring is lightest On the shafts of 

 the feathers of the neck and breast. The back and hinder 

 wing-coverts and shoulders are bright cinnamon-brown. The 

 lesser wing-coverts and rump feathers splendid violet-blue, 

 with a peculiar coppery tint. The coverts of the quill-fea- 

 thers, or the feathers of the thumb, are pale blue. The 

 narrow webs of the four first quill-feathers are black, tinged 

 with green ; the four succeeding are pale-blue from the roots 

 to their middle, on the narrow webs, then violet, ending 

 in black, whitish on the broad webs, and terminating in 

 black ; the remaining quills somewhat darker. All haVe 

 dusky shafts, and all are, on the under parts, of a splendid 

 blue, except towards the roots, which are greenish. The 

 tail-feathers are, on the narrow webs towards the roots, fine 

 violet, and pale blueish-green towards the tips, and the same 

 all over the broad webs ; the two middle feathers uniform 

 olive-brown ; the rest, with the exception of the outer ones, 

 have a large blue spot, and the outer feathers are tipped 

 with black ; they are also larger and more pointed than the 

 rest. The under part of the tail is dark-blue, and very pale 

 blueish-green towards the tip, with a black spot on each 

 side, which spots form the tips of the outer feathers. 



Very old females resemble the males so much that they 

 can hardly be distinguished. 



The colour of the young females is invariably duller ; the 

 under parts are paler, and more inclining to green ; the 

 brown on the back is paler and greyer, the violet colour 

 more dirty, and the blue under the wings is less dazzling ; 

 the tips of the quill-feathers are also more rusty-black, 

 edged with dirty-whitish-green, and the tail-feathers of 

 equal length. 



The plumage of these birds does not obtain its full bril- 

 liancy before the third or fourth year in a wild state. 



