1006 



S YS TEMA TIC S YNOPSIS. — L ONGIPENNES. 



as that of S. caspia, but of different shape, much slenderer, its height at base only ^^ the 

 length of culmen, which is gradually convex from base to tip, the curvature increasing but 

 slightly toward the rather obtuse tip. Commissure somewhat sinuate basally, regularly con- 

 vex for the rest of its length ; rami a little concave along their edges ; gonys straight, shorter 

 than rami, the angle between the two illy developed. Tibiae bare (0.90). Tarsus not longer 



than middle toe and 

 claw ; its anterior 

 aspect shows a ten- 

 dency toward reticu- 

 lations instead of 

 transverse scutella, 

 but there are usually 

 some scales which 

 extend quite across 

 it ; lateral and pos- 

 terior aspects reticu- 



Fi6. 691. —Royal Tem, § nat. size. (From Sclater and Salvin.) 



lated, as in caspia, but the plates not so rough. Tail deeply forked; middle feathers broad 

 to their rounded tips ; lateral ones successively elongated and narrower toward their tips, the 

 external pair slender and streaming. Adult ^ ^ ,m summer: Pileum glossy greenish-black, 

 not extending below eyes, so narrow on side of upper mandible that a broad white streak 

 extends to extreme tip of the feathers. Mantle very pale pearl-blue, fading imperceptibly into 

 white on the rump and toward the ends of the inner secondaries. Tail white, with a faint 

 pearly tinge, especially on the middle feathers and inner webs of the others. Most of the 

 secondaries pure white, except a small space on the outer web near the tip, which is grayish- 

 blue, deeper than the mantle. Outer web of first primary grayish-black ; inner web with a 

 space of black extending the whole length, very narrow at the base, widening as it runs 

 toward the tip, within 1.50 of which it occupies the whole web; rest of the web white, sepa- 

 rated from the black by a straight distinct line. The 2d-5th primaries have the same gen- 

 eral characteristics, but the white space rapidly grows narrower and shorter, and runs up 

 farther in the centre than along the edge of the web, so that for a little way from its end it has 

 a border of blackish along its outer margin ; other primaries pearl-bhie, their inner webs mar- 

 gined with white. Bill coral or orange-red, with a slightly lighter tip ; feet blackish, their 

 soles dull yellowish. Winter plumage : Bill less brightly colored, its tip and tomia dull yel- 

 lowish. Front white ; crown variegated with black and white, the former color increasing on 

 the occiput and nuchal crest, which latter is almost or quite unmixed with white. This black 

 extends forward on the sides of the head to include the eye. (But frequently found breeding 

 in this condition, the complete black cap being worn but a short time in spring and early sum- 

 mer, and doffed just after pairing.) Tail not pure white (except perhaps in very old birds), 

 but tinged with the bluish of the mantle, which deepens toward the tips of the feathers into 

 dusky-plumbeous; also considerably less forked, the lateral feathers having little or nothing of 

 a filamentous character. Young-of-the-year in August : Bill much smaller than in the adult, 

 its tip less acute, its angles and ridges less sharply defined ; mostly reddish -yellow, but light 

 yellowish at tip. Crown much as in the adult in winter, but an occipital crest scarcely recog- 

 nizable. Upper parts mostly white; but the pearl-gray of the adult appearing in irregular 

 patches, and whole back marked with small, irregular, but well-defined brown spots, largest 

 on the inner secondaries; lesser wing-coverts dusky plumbeous. Primaries much as in the 

 adult, but the line of demarcation of the black and white wanting sharpness. Tail-feathers 

 white at base, then plumbeous, next decidedly brownish, the extreme tips again white. Adults : 

 Length 18.00-20.00; extent 42.00-44.00; wing 14.00-15.00; tail 6.00-8.00, forked 3.00-4.00; 

 Ml along culmen 2.50-2.75; along commissure 3.75; height at base 0.70; width 0.50; gonys 



