Letters, Announcements, ^c. 199 
ration of the heads of Lamprolia victorm and L. minor (if that 
name has been retained) differs^ I still adhere to my former 
opinion^ at least so far as regards the specimens in my pos¬ 
session. I have before me three males (one in full breeding- 
plumage), three females, and one young male. In all, espe¬ 
cially the breeding male, there is a distinct inverted-V-shaped 
patch of dull-coloured feathers inserted into the brilliant blue 
of the back of the head, which is entirely wanting in L. minor, 
of which I have a pair (male and female), given me in ex¬ 
change by my friend Kleiiischmidt. They are not well pre¬ 
pared, but well enough to show that the head is entirely 
covered all down the nuchal portion with iridescent blue 
feathers. I must admit one thing, however: on exposing 
my L. victoriee to a strong slanting 5w^-light this morning, 
I can perceive sparkles of blue on the feathers of the ^-shaped 
mark; but this my critical examination has shown me that 
the blue of the head of L. minor is much coarser than that of 
L. victoriee. I observe also that the silvery white of the tail 
of the female of the former extends nearer the tip than it 
does in the male, in which I cannot (without having the means 
of very accurate measurement) see that more difference be¬ 
tween it and L. victorm exists than is consistent with their 
relative sizes. 
If Count Salvadori will hold L. victoriee with its bill to¬ 
wards him, I think he will see the V-shaped mark to which 
I refer, with its apex pointing to him; in this position 
it is very distinct. I think, too, abrasion of the extreme tip 
of the tail may have something to do with the peculiarity 
noticed by him; at least such is the case in my specimen. 
I am, &c., 
E. L. Layard. 
P.S. Since writing the above, a Mr. Chamberlain, who has 
been collecting in Fiji, has been with me. On looking over 
my collection I pointed out the black ^-shaped mark on the 
heads of Lamprolia, which he at once saw, but remarked 
what large birds mine were. He then picked up a specimen 
that had escaped my notice, and said, All my birds of are 
this size.^^ To our surprise ayc then saAv all the head was 
blue, as in L. minor. 
