84 



BULLETIN 5 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



the alula darker than the rest of the wing, slate black; secondaries 

 white for their basal two-thirds (the white covered by the overlapping 

 feathers) the terminal third slate or blackish slate; secondaries, rump, 

 and rectrices sometimes with an oily green sheen; the under ^^^ng 

 coverts white except for a few slate-black feathers at the margin of the 

 bend of the wing; iris varies (in descriptions) from red or reddish to 

 very dark brown; eyelids, cere, the basal half of the mandible, the base 

 of the maxillary tomium, and the rictus plumbeous blue, the maxilla 

 (except for the basal tomial part) deep black; interior of mouth cobalt 

 blue; tarsus and toes pale ashy bluish, often with a yellowish or green- 

 ish tinge, claws grayish brown. 



Figure 7. — Elanoides forficatus. 



Immature (sexes alike). — Similar to adults but with the head, nape, 

 throat, and upper breast streaked with narrow fuscous shaft streaks, 

 the streaks darker above than below; tail, rump with an oily greenish 

 sheen, no "bloom" on secondaries, upper wing and tail coverts; 

 remiges and rectrices tipped narrowly with whitish. 



Downy young. — Buffy white, the buff most pronounced on nape, 

 occiput, and breast. 



Aduh male.—^N'mg 423-436 (431.3); tail 328-343 (334.4); culmen 

 from cere 19-20 (19.5); tarsus 32-33 (32.6); middle toe without claw 

 27-29.5 (28.2 mm.) (8 specimens). 



Adult female.— ^N'mg 436-445 (440.3); tail 343-370 (355.6); culmen 

 from cere 19-21 (20); tarsus 32-33 (32.8); middle toe without claw 

 28.5-30 (29.2 mm.) (12 specimens). 



