518 CORVUS CORONE. 



to form an acute anele. The toes are of moderate strength ; 

 the third longest, the rest nearly equal in length, the first much 

 stronger : the first has nine, the second eight, the third ten, the 

 fourth nine scutella. The claws are arched, compressed, rather 

 acute, flat beneath, that of the middle toe with an inner sharp 

 edge, those of the first and second obscurely grooved on the 

 sides. 



The plumage is moderately full, compact, and highly glossed. 

 On each side of the base of the upper mandible, extending 

 beyond the nostrils, are stift' bristly feathers, with short dis- 

 united filaments, directed forwards and adpressed ; and there 

 are similar but shorter feathers at the base of the lower man- 

 dible. At the base of the rictus is a series of strong deflected 

 bristles, having a few filaments. The feathers of the head are 

 rounded ; of the hind-neck oblong and rather blended ; of the 

 rest of the upper parts rounded and imbricated ; of the throat 

 OA'ato-lanceolate and rather compact ; of the rest of the lower 

 parts rounded and rather compact, unless on the abdomen, 

 where they are loose and tufty ; on the legs short, rather 

 blended, abrupt. The wings are long, straight, and much 

 rounded ; the primary quills ten, straight, tapering, the first 

 half the length of the fourth, and equal to the ninth, the fourth 

 longest, the third almost equal, the fifth scarcely shorter than 

 the third, the second one inch shorter than the fourth, and 

 equal to the sixth ; the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth 

 slightly cut out on the outer, the first, second, third, and 

 fourth on the inner web. The secondary quills, twelve in 

 number, are large, slightly incurved, ^ abruptly rounded and 

 acuminate. 



The bill, feet, and claws are glossy black ; the iris deep 

 brown. The general colour of the plumage is black, glossed 

 with purplish-blue ; the secondary coverts and outer secondaries 

 with purple ; the alula, primary coverts, and primaries with 

 green ; the lower parts with blue and green, excepting the 

 abdominal feathers, which are dull and tinged with brown. 



Length to end of tail 22 inches ; extent of wings 41 i ; 

 v.ing from flexure 14, longest quill 12 ; tail 8 ; wings one inch 

 shorter than tail ; bill along the back 2i, along the edge of 



