IRENA PUELLA.
Indian Fairy Bluebird.
Fairy Roller, Latham, Gen. Synopsis, Suppl. p. 87.
Coracias puella, Lath. Ind. Ora. p. 171.—Daudin, Traité, ii. p. 264.
Irena puella, Jerdon, Madras Journal, xiii. p. 262.— Me Clell. Proe. Zoo'l. Soc. 1839, p. 160.—Gray, Gen. Birds,
i. p. 288, pi. 70. fig. 3 (l847||§-Horsf. & Moore, Cat. of Birds Mus. E.I. Co. p. 273 (1854).— Jerdon,
B. India, ii. p. 105 (1863).—Gray, Hand-1. Birds, i. p. 288 (1869).—Stoliezka, Joum. As. Soc. Beng.
xxxix. pt. 2, p. 318 (1870).—Wald. Ibis, 1871, p. 170.—Holdsw. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1872, p. 452.—
Wald. Ibis, 1873, p. 306.—Armstrong, Stray Feathers, 1876, p. 326.—Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus.
iii. p. 268 (1877).—Fairbank, Str. F. 1877, p. 406.— Hume & Davison, Stray Feathers, 1878, pp. 328,
516.— Hume, Str. F. 1879, p. 99;—Legge, Birds o f Ceylon, p. 466 (1880).—Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit.
Mus. vi. p. 177 (1881).
Irena Mica, A . Hay, in Blyth’s Report, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xv. p. 309 (1846).—Bonap. Consp. i. p. 349 (1850).
T h is is the best-known o f all the Fairy Bluebirds; and, in giving several illustrations of the different species
o f the genus Irena, I have been desirous o f illustrating one o f the most interesting and peculiar forms of
Asiatic bird-life. The systematic position o f the genus Irena has been one that has puzzled a good many
naturalists; and it has been variously placed in the families Dicruridae and Brachypodidae. Mr. Bowdler
Sharpe placed the genus among the Dicruridae in the third volume of the ‘ Catalogue of B ird s;’ but,
recognizing his mistake, he has lately, in his sixth volume, republished the descriptions, and classified the
genus with the Bulbuls. To this conclusion he was led by the arguments used by the late Marquis of
Tweeddale, in his critique on the third volume of the ‘-Catalogue o f Bird s;’ and I do not think I can do
better than reproduce some of the observations made by his Lordship on that occasion.
“ Irena. The true systematic position of this genus has divided the opinions o f ornithologists ever since
Horsfield founded it. Temminck first classed it among the Dicruridae; and so have other authors since, and
Mr. Sharpe does the same. Jerdon placed it (following Blyth) among the short-legged Thrushes, and made
i t constitute a separate subfamily, Ireninae, the third among the Brachypodidae, arranging it between the
Phyllornithinas and the Oriolinae. In Jerdon’s view I must’ undoubtedly concur. The affinity between Irena
and Dicrurus is more apparent than re a l; it is an affinity of mimicry a t best. The contour of the bill has a
superficial resemblance; but the margins of the commissure are inflected in Irena; in Dicrurus they are
spreading. In the last the rictal bristles are developed (a certain indication o f insectivorous hab its); in Irena
they are short, weak, almost absorbed. In the gradation of the quills there is some analogy; but in Irena,
the 3rd, 4th, and 5th are usually equal and longest, whereas in Dicrurus the 3rd is generally shorter than the
4th and 5th. Beyond these points all resemblance ceases. The tarsus and feet are short and weak in Irena;
the toes and nails are singularly slender for the size o f the body; and the outer toe is free, whereas in
Dicrurus it is ankylosed up to the first joint. The tail consists o f twelve rectrices, and not of ten ; and
this character of itself removes Irena from the Dicruridae, according to Mr. Sharpe’s own definition. The
plumage is of a totally different character. The skin in Irena is especially. ten d e r; in Dicrurus it is
exceedingly tough. In Dicrurus the sexes wear the same plumage, even the ornate plumes; in Irena the
male has a brilliant and the female a sombre attire. Every species of Irena has a number of fine nuchal
hairs, which are wanting in Dicrurus. This last character (unknown to Blyth and Jerdon), together with
the short and weak feet, indicates a great affinity to Criniger. The Dicruri are insectivorous, some even
killing small birds, whereas Irena is frugivorous. The structure of the sternum in Dicrurus is, I believe,
different from that of Irena. The notes of Irena are those of Oriolus, and have no similarity to those of
Dicrurus
The Indian Fairy Bluebird is found in the forests of Southern India. Jerdon states it is far from
uncommon in the lofty jungles of Malabar, and he also met with it in forests near Palghautcherry, Trichoor,
the Wynaad, and on the Coonoor Ghat as high as 4000 feet and upwards; it is also found in Travancore,
in the Neilgherri Mountains, and the Palani Hills, ranging as high as 4000 feet in the latter locality
according to Dr. Fairbank, who also met with it in the Sawant-wade woods in the Khandala district. It is
very rare in Ceylon, having only been known to occur in that island on three occasions, twice near Kandy, and
once near Saffragam. Although it has been said to have been met with near Sehwan, in Scinde, Mr. Hume
has pointed out that it was in all probability a caged specimen which had been killed, as this locality is so
far out of the bird’s range that it is scarcely possible for it to have occurred in a wild state. I t is not
known from any part of the Himalayas until Sikkim is reached; but eastwards from that country it occurs