280 FRUTICICOLA RUBICOLA. 



ever by the greater looseness and tufty texture of its plumage. 

 The bill is rather short, considerably dilated at the base, com- 

 pressed towards the end, in short in all respects similar to that 

 of the preceding species, but with the tip of the upper man- 

 dible more decurved. The tongue is five-twelfths of an inch 

 long, narrow-sagittate, concave above, thin-edged, the tip slit 

 and slightly lacerated. The oesophagus is an inch and ten 

 twelfths long, its average diameter two twelfths. The stomach 

 is seven and a half twelfths long, broadly elliptical, compress- 

 ed, its lateral muscles large, the lower indistinct ; the inner 

 coat rugous and of a reddish-brown colour. The intestine is 

 six and a half inches long, its diameter from two-twelfths and 

 a quarter to two-twelfths ; the coeca one-twelfth long, and an 

 inch distant from the extremity. 



The nostrils are elliptical, three-quarters of a twelfth long, 

 and partially concealed by the feathers. The aperture of the 

 eyes is a twelfth and a half, that of the ears two twelfths. The 

 tarsi are of moderate length, slender, much compressed, their 

 anterior scutella blended, the three lower only remaining dis- 

 tinct ; the toes small, much compressed ; the first with eight, 

 the second with ten, the third with thirteen, the fourth wuth 

 twelve scutella ; the claws rather long, slightly arched, ex- 

 tremely compressed, laterally grooved, tapering to an extreme- 

 ly acute point. 



The plumage is remarkably soft, blended, and tufty ; the 

 feathers ovate, with loose filaments ; the bristle-feathers at the 

 base of the upper mandible rather strong. The wings are 

 rather short and considerably curved ; the quills eighteen ; the 

 first very small, being less than half the length of the second, 

 which is much shorter than the third ; the fourth longest, but 

 the third and fifth scarcely shorter ; the secondary quills are 

 broadly rounded. The tail is short, nearly even, all the 

 feathers rounded. 



The bill and feet are black, the mouth and tongue flesh- 

 coloured. The iris brown. The head, cheeks, and throat are 

 black, but all the feathers edged with brownish-red ; the up- 

 per parts are similar, but the red margins enlarge on the rump 

 and tail-coverts, w^hich are white at the base. The quills and 



