In a subsequent note Mr. Swinhoe says the bird is “ locally distributed throughout China as far as Peking.
In North China it is only a summer visitant; in South China vagrant during winter. Represented in Japan
and Formosa by larger varieties.”
Crown of the head, back, scapularies, wing-, and upper tail-coverts deep steel-blue, a few of the white bases
of the feathers showing at the upper part of the back; line over the eye, and collar at the back of the neck,
rich chestnut-red; rump chestnut-red, striated with brown ; wings and tail blackish brown, glossed with blue;
under surface pale buff, with a conspicuous streak of dark brown down the centre of each feather; under
tail-coverts largely tipped with steel-blue; bill black ; feet brownish black.
The figures are of the size of life ; the sexes do not appear to differ except in the female being smaller
than the male.