New ^erfey* Raccoon. 75 



the upper part and the fides of the neck 

 are of an obfcure blue and green {hining 

 colour ; the fides of the head under the 

 eyes are ohfcurely blue ; all the back and 

 coverts of the wings are purple ; the up- 

 per coverts of the tail are not of fo confpi- 

 cuous a purple colour, but as it were 

 blackened with foot; the nine primary 

 quill-feathers are black ; the other fecun- 

 dary ones are likewife black, but their out- 

 ward margin is purple ; the twelve tail 

 feathers have a blackim purple colour, and 

 their tips are round ; thofe on the outfide 

 are the fhorteft, and the middle extremely 

 long. When the tail is fpread, it looks 

 round towards the extremity. The throat 

 is blueim green, and mining ; the breaft 

 is likewife black or mining green, accor- 

 ding as you turn it to the light ; th*e belly 

 js blackim, and the vent feathers are ob- 

 fcurely purple-coloured ; the parts of the 

 breaft and belly which are covered by the 

 wings, are purple-coloured ; the wings 

 are black below, or rather footy; and 

 the thighs have blackim feathers; the 

 legs (tibitej, and the toes are of a 

 fhtning black. It has four toes, as 

 moft birds have. The claws are black, 

 that on the back toe is longer than 



tho 



