SOO CIRCUS CYANEUS. 



five, the third with eighteen, the fourth with seven scu- 

 tella, besides transverse series of small scales at the 

 base. 



The plumage is as described in the generic character. 

 The wings are long, their tips about two inches shorter 

 than that of the tail ; the fourth primary longest, the 

 third almost equal, the fifth a little longer than the se- 

 cond, the first about the length of the seventh ; the 

 primaries are very slightly curved, broad, tapering to- 

 wards the end, and rounded ; the secondaries broad 

 and rounded. The tail is straight, long, of moderate 

 breadth, and slightly rounded. The quills and tail- 

 feathers, especially on their inner webs, are extremely 

 soft, being covered with a velvety down, as in those of 

 owls. 



The bill is bluish-black, the cere yellow ; the inside 

 of the mouth dark bluish-grey. The irides are yellow. 

 The tarsi and toes are orange-yellow, the claws bla^k. 

 The general colour of the plumage above is light grey- 

 ish-blue, the head and scapulars of a deeper tint, the 

 hind part of the back paler ; the bases of the occipital 

 and ruff feathers white ; the bristles of the cere and 

 lores black, their downy bases white. The fore neck 

 and anterior part of the breast are also greyish-blue, 

 but paler ; the middle of the breast, the abdomen, and 

 the legs, bluish-white ; the lower wing-coverts, and the 

 lower and upper tail-coverts, pure white. The six 

 outer primaries are brownish-black, at the base white, 

 and on the outer web tinged with grey ; the rest, and 

 the secondaries, of the general colour on their outer 

 webs, white on their inner, and obscurely barred with 

 dark grey. The two middle tail-feathers are of a 



