Genus CYANOPTILA Blyth, 1847.

The genus Cyanoptila is not easily distinguished from Zanthopygia. In the former genus the colors of the male are blue, black, and white; the wing formula is the same as that of Zanthopygia; tail equal to nearly three-fourths of wing; tarsus one and one-half times the length of bill from nostril.

412. CYANOPTILA BELLA (Hay).
JAPANESE BLUE FLYCATCHER.

Balabac (Everett); Palawan?[55] Japan, China, Indo-Chinese countries, northwestern Borneo.

“Adult male.—General color above blue, the greater coverts uniform with the back, the lesser and median coverts brighter and more cobalt-blue, forming a shoulder patch; head still brighter and more lazuline blue, richest on the forehead; a narrow frontal line, lores, eyelid, sides of face, and entire throat and chest black; rest of under surface of body pure white, the flanks ashy; thighs black; under wing-coverts dusky brown, broadly edged with blue; the edge of the wing bright blue; primary-coverts and quills dusky brown, externally greenish blue; middle tail-feathers dark blue, the remainder blue on the outer web, black on the inner, with conspicuous white bases to the feathers. ‘Bill black; legs brown; iris black.’ (David.) Length, 140; culmen, 14; wing, 86; tail, 61; tarsus, 15.

“Observation.—A male bird from Japan, in the Leiden Museum, marked Cyanoptila cyanothorax, is a little different from the full-plumaged male, being of a greener cobalt above, and has the throat washed with greenish blue. The blue color on the head is different being brighter cobalt. Specimens from Borneo do not differ from the Japanese bird described in any important particulars; one has a gloss of blue on the throat and chest, another is more greenish blue above, while a Tingchow male has the back greenish blue, with distinct black shaft-streaks.

“Adult female.—Different from the male. Ashy brown, above, washed with pale verditer-blue on the scapulars, lower back, and upper tail-coverts; least wing-coverts bright blue as in adult male, the rest and the quills externally verditer-blue, the outermost of the greater series dull brown, edged with ashy brown and narrowly tipped with whitish; tail as in male, but rather more greenish blue; lores and anterior part of cheeks rufescent buff; ear-coverts ashy brown, with whitish shaft-lines; throat, abdomen, and under tail-coverts white; fore-neck, chest, and sides of body ashy brown; under wing-coverts and axillars ashy brown, the edge of the wing blue. ‘Bill blackish brown, legs grayish brown, iris dark brown.’ (Swinhoe.) Wing, 89; tail, 61; tarsus, 15.

“Young male.—Similar to old female, but having the back greenish blue, only the head and neck ashy brown, even the crown being slightly shaded with blue; upper tail-coverts with white edgings; wings and tail as in adult, the outer greater coverts tipped with buff; below as in female, but having the throat ochraceous, the breast washed with ocher, as also the sides of the body.” (Sharpe.)