212 ALLEN'S NATURALIST'S LIBRARY. 



Adult Female General colour above glossy blue-black from 

 the hind-neck to the tail, dividing the mantle and back down 

 the centre ; the sides of the mantle, remainder of the back, 

 scapulars, and wing-coverts bronzy-brown, with broad edges of 

 blue-black to all the feathers; bastard-wing, primary-coverts, 

 and quills black, externally greyish-bronze, the feathers with a 

 broad black margin as well ; tail-feathers slaty-black, with grey- 

 ish shafts ; crown of head and neck glossy blue-black, with a 

 very evident nuchal crest ; under surface of body blue-black ; 

 sides of face, ear-coverts, cheeks, and upper throat creamy- 

 white, ascending to a point in the centre of the chin, which 

 is bare like the lores, region of the eye, and fore-part of the 

 cheeks ; the crown, neck, and lower throat ornamented with 

 numerous white filaments, which completely conceal the black 

 ground-colour ; on the sides of the lower flanks a large white 

 patch ; sides of upper breast bronzy-brown, the flanks bor- 

 dered with black, as on the back; under wing-coverts and 

 axillaries black ; bill brown above, slate-colour below, including 

 edge of lower mandible ; gular skin lemon-yellow ; feet black ; 

 iris green. Total length, 32 inches; oilmen, 2 '6; wing, 12 '8; 

 tail, 6'o; tarsus, 2:5. 



Adult Male. Similar to the female, but larger and with the 

 crest somewhat more developed. Total length, 30 inches; 

 wing, 12-5. 



Winter Plumage Black like the summer plumage, but not 

 having the white filaments on the head and neck, and the 

 white patch on the thighs also being absent. 



Young Birds. Browner above than the adults, and with black- 

 ish margins to the feathers, which are greyish-brown rather 

 than bronzy ; the head and neck ashy-brown, with blackish 

 centres to the feathers ; sides of face, throat, and fore-neck 

 ashy-brown ; chin, upper throat, and sides of face dull white ; 

 rest of the under surface of the body white, the sides of the 

 body brown, as well as the under tail-coverts ; bill pale horn- 

 colour ; cere none ; gular skin yellow ; iris light green. 



The adult black plumage is gained apparently by a change 

 in the feather, the tip of which becomes gradually black or 

 brown, and this colour spreads by degrees over the whole 

 plumage. 



