fJUEY CUCKOO. J 13 



from flexure 8/5 ; tail 6\ ; bill along the ridge |§ ; tarsus ^'^2' ; 

 middle toe and claw I4. 



Variations. — In adult individuals the variations of the ex- 

 terior are slight, some being more glossed with green on the 

 back, and some tinged with brown on the wings and fore-neck. 

 Old birds I have found invariably as above described. The 

 variations in size, and in the proportions of the parts, are not 

 important ; nor are those in the length and diameter of the di- 

 gestive organs considerable. The following are some of the 

 measurements of five individuals. 



MALE. 



Length 14 



Extent of wings. 23 



(Esophagus 5A 



Proventriculus... 1 



Stomach If 



Intestine 18? 



Coeca 1 5, 1 j^*2 



Changes of Plumage. — I have found individuals in fresh and 

 perfect plumage immediately after their arrival, so that they 

 must have moulted in their winter quarters. Thus, one sent 

 to me by Captain Graham in May 1834 had its feathers quite 

 new. In the wings were three secondary quills barred with 

 dusky and light red, which were ragged from wearing, shew- 

 ing that it was in its second year. In individuals obtained at 

 a later period, I have not observed much difference in the 

 plumage, and therefore I believe that the moult does not take 

 place in this country. 



Additional Observations. — The tongue varies considerably 

 with respect to the form of its tip, as represented by PL XVI, 

 Fig. 5, a b c d, taken from four specimens which I had kei)t 

 in spirits for dissection. One has the tongue acutely pointed ; 

 the second has it narrow, with a slight slit ; the third shorten- 

 ed, emarginatc, the tips blunted and bristly on the edges ; the 



VOL. lU, I 



