HARLEQUIN GARROT. 171 



reticulate, Avith about twenty small, anterior seutella. The 

 hind toe small, with twelve seutella, and alohiform reticulate 

 membrane ; the anterior toes scutellate ; the outer two about 

 eqvial, and half as long again as the tarsus. The claws small, 

 compressed, obtuse, that of the third toe dilated. The inter- 

 digital membranes emarginate. 



The plumage is dense, soft, of moderate length, and 

 blended ; the feathers generally oblong. The wings are 

 rather short, narrow, convex, and pointed ; the primaries 

 narrow, the outer two sinuate on the inner web ; the first 

 two-twelfths of an inch shorter than the second, the rest 

 rapidly decreasing ; the secondaries of moderate breadth, and 

 rounded, the inner little elongated, rather pointed. Tail very 

 short, graduated, of sixteen stiff, tapering feathers. 



The bill is yellowish-brown ; the iris reddish-brown ; the 

 feet light greyish-blue, with the membranes greyish-black, 

 and the claws pale brown. From the base of the bill to the 

 nape is a broad band of bluish-black, margined on each side 

 behind with light red, before with Avhite, continuous with a 

 large patch of the same occupying the space between the eye 

 and the bill. The sides of the head and the neck all round 

 are purplish-blue. Behind the ear is a roundish white spot, 

 and on each side of the neck a longitudinal band of the same. 

 About the middle of the neck is a ring, and at its lower part 

 a curved band of white, margined Avith black. The fore part 

 of the back is light purplish-blue, the hind part darker, the 

 rump black all round, with a white spot on each side at the 

 base of the tail. The scapulars are for the most part white ; 

 the wing-coverts, alula, and primary coverts, are purplish- 

 blue ; the quills dusky brown, with reddish-brown shafts ; the 

 tips of the secondaries, and outer webs of the inner, white. 

 The tail is brownish-black, tinged with grey. The fore part 

 of the breast is purplish-blue ; its hind part and the abdomen 

 brownish-grey, the sides light red. 



Length to end of tail IT inches ; extent of wings 26 ; Aving 

 from flexure Tf ; tail 3^ ; bill along the ridge 1 -^-^ ; its height 

 at the base T-jig-, its breadth 7^, near the end j4_ ■ tarsus 

 1-L| ; hind toe -j^, its claw -^ ; second toe l^, its claAv -^ ; 

 third toe I-LL, its claw -^ ; fourth toe 2, its claw -j%. 



