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.)