274 MILVUS REGALIS. 



the one preceding it. The wings, when closed, reacli 

 to two inches from the end of the tail. 



The bill is brownish-black towards the end ; its base, 

 as well as its soft margins, and the cere, are of a rich 

 yellow. The superciliary prominence and the eyelids 

 are dull yellow ; the margins of tlie eyelids dusky, the 

 iris primrose-yellow. The feet are of a rich yellow 

 tint, the claws brownish-black. 



The plumage of the head and hind neck is light 

 brownish-yellow, longitudinally streaked with dark 

 brown, the tips of the feathers on the former greyish- 

 white ; the lower part of the forehead, the cheeks, and 

 the throat, are greyish- white, with brownish black shaft- 

 lines. The upper parts in general are light brownish- 

 red ; there is a narrow lanceolate brownish-black mark 

 along the centre of each feather, larger on the scapu- 

 lars. The posterior part of the back is light red. The 

 alula, primary coverts, and outer primary quills, are of 

 a very deep indigo or raven black ; excepting the two 

 outer, however, the primaries are greyish-brown on the 

 greater part of the outer web, of a paler tint barred 

 with brownish-black on the inner, the marginal part of 

 which is yellowish-white. The secondary quills are 

 greyish-black, shaded with purple, their tips reddish- 

 white, their inner webs more or less mottled ; the longer 

 inner secondaries are similar to the feathers of the back, 

 and banded with dusky on their inner webs. The tail 

 is brownish- red, the greater part of the outer webs of 

 the two outer feathers blackish-brown, the inner webs^ 

 faintly banded or mottled with that colour, their inner 

 edges reddish-white. The fore-neck, breast and sides, 

 are light yellowish-red, each feather with a very nar- 



