BLUE-HEADED QUAKETAIL. 209 



an inch long. The feet slender ; the tarsus much compressed, 

 the upper scutella indistinct ; the toes slender and much com- 

 pressed, the lateral toes ahout equal, the middle toe with its 

 claw a little shorter than the hind toe and its claw, which latter 

 is a little longer than the first joint, tapering, much compressed, 

 and slightly curved. 



The plumage is sojft and blended, the feathers ovate and 

 rounded ; the bristle-feathers at the base of the bill very small. 

 The wings are rather long ; the primaries nine, the secondaries 

 nine ; the first quill is thus wanting, the first and second are 

 about equal, the third a little shorter ; the inner primaries 

 and outer secondaries eniarginate, the inner three tapering, 

 and one of them as long when the wing is bent as the outer 

 primaries. The tail is very long and slightly rounded. 



The bill is black, the feet brownish-black. The upper part 

 of the head, the hind-neck, the loral space, and the ear-coverts 

 are greyish-blue ; a white band extends from the bill over the 

 eye and ear ; the rest of the upper parts are yellowish-green, 

 tinged with brown, the central part of each feather being of the 

 latter colour, the rump greenish-yellow. The wing-coverts and 

 quills are dusky brown, all margined with yellowish-white, 

 the inner secondaries with broad edges ; the first row of small 

 coverts and the secondary coverts largely tipped with the same. 

 The tail and its coverts blackish-brown, the middle feathers 

 edged with greenish-yellow ; the two outer on each side white, 

 excepting an oblique band, including part of the outer web at 

 the base, and the greater portion of the inner web, extending to 

 half an inch from the end. The lower parts are bright yellow ; 

 but a small portion of the throat and a band on each side of the 

 neck are white. 



Length to end of tail 6^ inches ; bill along the ridge f | ; 

 along the edge of the lower mandible /^ '•> wing from flexure 

 3/2 ; tail 2i§ ; tarsus \%^ ; first toe || ; its claw {'^ ; middle 

 toe y'% ; its claw j%. 



Female, — The bill and feet are brownish-black ; the yellow 

 of the lower parts is paler, and on the throat and neck fades 

 into yellowish- white ; there are some brown feathers on the 



VOL. ir. P 



