Structure and colour-production of the blue barbs of Agapornis roseicollis and Cotinga maynana

The spongy structure in medullary cells responsible for the colour of blue barbs in rump feathers of Agapornis roseicollis and back feathers of Cotinga maynana is studied with the scanning and the transmission electron microscope. The Agapornis structure is an irregular three-dimensional network of connected keratin rods which in many places form rings with outer diameters 0.25–0.3 μ. The air-filled space likewise consists of an irregular...