472. IRENA ELLÆ Steere.
ELLA’S FAIRY BLUEBIRD.
- Irena ellæ Steere, List Birds & Mams. Steere Exped. (1890), 18; Ibis (1891), 313 (fig.), pl. 8; Sharpe, Hand-List (1901), 3, 309; Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 216 (habits); McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 79.
Leyte (Steere Exp.); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead).
“Adult male.—Crown of head and nape deep cobalt-blue as in I. cyanogastra; sides of neck, back, and scapulars velvety black; lower back washed with cobalt, this becoming rich cobalt on upper tail-coverts; tail black, washed with deep cobalt; wings marked with cobalt much as in cyanogastra; under surface deep velvety black, feathers of abdomen slightly washed with blue; under tail-coverts deep cobalt.
“Adult female.—Chin and throat velvety black; breast, abdomen, and flanks purplish blue. Size that of cyanogastra. I. ellæ can be readily distinguished from I. cyanogastra, its nearest ally, by its black back.” (Steere).
“This fine Irena was discovered by Bourns the first time that we succeeded in reaching the woods back of the town of Catbalogan in Samar, in 1888. Three males average, 252 in length; wing, 125; tail, 102; culmen, 31; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 23. A female, length, 257; wing, 123; tail, 103; culmen, 31; tarsus, 16; middle toe with claw, 23. Bill, legs, feet, and nails black; iris red.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
473. IRENA MELANOCHLAMYS Sharpe.
BLACK-MANTLED FAIRY BLUEBIRD.
- Irena melanochlamys Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1877), 3, 266; Trans. Linn. Soc. 2d ser. Zool. (1877), 1, 334, pl. 51, fig. 2; Hand-List (1901), 3, 309; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 79.