220 



LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS — LONGIPENNES. 



Primaries pale pearl-blue, like the mantle, but the five outer primaries marked with deep ash- 

 gray, as follows : the first quill has the outer web ash-gray to within three inches of the tip, meas- 

 ured along the shaft, ami an inch farther along the edge ; the inner web has a paler ash-gray stripe 

 about .25 of an inch wide next the shaft, and extending to within 2.75 inches of the tip ; the 

 remainder, also the terminal portion of the outer web, being pure white. The second quill has 

 no ash-gray on the inner web, which is very pale pearl-blue basally, and changing very gradually 

 into pure white toward the end ; the outer web is pure white for the space of 2.50 inches from the 



Lams KwmZienu 



tip (measured along the shaft), whence begins an elongated space of ash-gray, occupying the full 

 width of the web for about 1.25 inches, then gradually narrowing toward the edge, and finally 

 disappearing at a point a little more than six inches from the tip of the quill. The third quill has 

 an abruptly defined wdiite tip about half an inch in extent, this being immediately preceded by an 

 ash-gray bar, more than half an inch wide, entirely across the inner web, and confluent with the 

 space of the same color on the outer web, which extends toward the base of the feather for the 

 distance of five inches from the tip, though occupying the full width of the web for only about two 

 inches. The fourth quill is similarly marked, except that the ash-gray is fainter and less extended, 

 especially on the outer web, where it follows the shaft for only the width of the bar on the inner 

 well, while along the edge it reaches to a distance of less than 2.50 inches from the tip ; anterior to 

 these gray spaces both webs are pure white for about 1.25 inches, when this color gradually changes 

 to the prevailing pale pearl-blue. The fifth quill has the terminal two inches white, but this 

 slightly relieved by a nearly obsolete small spot of light gray on each web, about .60 of an inch 

 from the tip. The remaining primaries are uniform pale pearl-blue, with broad white tips, the 

 two colors passing gradually together. " Iris cream-color ; bill yellow, with vermilion spot on 

 lower mandible ; orbital ring reddish purple; legs and feet flesh-color" (Kumlien, MS.). Total 

 length (before skinning), 24.00 inches; wing, 16.00; tail, 6.60; oilmen, 1.90; depth of bill at 

 base, .70, through angle, .65 ; tarsus, 2.40 ; middle toe, 1.95. 



Adult $ , in summer (No. 76229, U. S. Nat. Mus., Annanactook Harbor, head of Cumberland 

 Gulf, June 20, 1824 ; L. Kumi.iex) : Similar to the adult $ , as described above, but only four outer 

 primaries marked with ash-gray, and the pattern of these markings somewhat different, as follows : 

 On the outer web of the first quill the gray color is darker, inclining to slate-color ; on the second quill 

 the spot near the end of the inner web is larger and more rounded ; the third quill has the subterm- 

 inal gray band quite interrupted, the portion indicated being, in fact, very faint and badly defined ; 

 and the fourth quill on one side is immaculate, while on the other there is a just perceptible indication 

 of a spot near the tip of the inner web, while on the outer the gray space is much broken by a white 

 freckling posteriorly. " Iris cream-color ; bill bright orange-yellow, tipped with yellowish green, 

 and with vermilion spot on lower mandible ; ring round eye purplish flesh-color ; tarsi and toes 



