MALURUS ELEGANS, Goud.

Mas. Mal. summo capite, nucha, plumis auricularibus strigd collari et dorso medio metallice viridibus ; vittd nuchali,
uropygio loro nigerrimis ; plumis villosis ; guld, pectore intense ceruleis, abdomine medio cinerascenti-albo, ad latera
et ad crissum in fuscum mergente ; scapularibus castaneo-brunneis, alis brunneis ; caudd obscure cerulescenti viride
Jusco lavatd ; rectricibus singulis ad apicem cinerascenti-albis ; rostro nigro ; pedibus intense brunneis.

Fam. vEL MAs suN. Summo capite, nuchd, et dorso cinerascenti-albis leviter fusco tinctis ; plumis scapularibus brunneis,
castaneo lavatis; alis intense brunneis ad marginem externum pallidioribus ; loro nigro; plumis auricularibus ad
apicem metallice ceruleis ; corpore inferiore albo ; pedibus intense brunneis.

Long. tot. 51 une.; rostri, i; ale, 14; caude, 31; tarsi, 1.

Mae. Crown, hinder part of the head, ear-coverts, a streak upon the sides of the neck, and the centre of the
back light verditer blue, the centre of the crown approaching to dark brown; space between the bill and the
eye, a broad collar round the back of the neck jet black, the feathers thick and velvety; throat and chest
intense indigo blue; centre of the abdomen greyish white passing into brown on the flanks and under tail-
coverts ; scapularies chestnut brown; wings brown; tail dull bluish green with a tinge of brown, each
feather being very slightly tipped with greyish white ; bill black; legs dark brown.

FEMALE oR younG Mate. Crown of the head, back of the neck, and upper part of the back grey, with a tinge
of brown; scapularies brown tinged with chestnut; wings dark brown, the external edges lighter; space
between the bill and the eye black; tips of the ear-coverts verditer blue; under surface greyish white ; bill
black ; feet dark brown.

Malurus elegans, Gould, in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. 1837.

 

In size this lovely species rather exceeds the Malurus Lamberti, and also differs from that species in the lighter
colour of the verditer blue on the back and ear-coverts and in the deep blue colouring of the throat, which
part is always black in MZ. Lamberti; and in the absence of the narrow band of blue which bounds posteriorly
the black of the throat and back; the legs also differ in their darker colouring, and in their greater length.

The bird, which I have figured in doubt as to whether it is a female or young male, will in all probability
prove to be the latter, as in no instance have I detected any bright colouring on the female of any member of
this group.

A fine specimen of this bird forms a part of the collection at the British Museum ; two examples have also
been lately presented to the Linnean Society which were received we believe from the eastern coast of
Australia.