216 ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. 



shining metallic band, changing to copper-colour or 

 bronze, to violet or purple, according to the incidence 

 of the light ; while the tip is formed by a narrow black 

 velvety band, which last is wanting on the neck and 

 breast. From this disposition of the colours results a 

 most beautiful changeable metallic gloss over the whole 

 body of the bird, which is, however, less marked on 

 the lower part of the back and tail-coverts. 



The wings, which scarcely extend beyond the base of 

 the tail, are concave and rounded. They are furnished 

 with twenty-eight quill-feathers ; the primaries are plain 

 blackish banded with white, while the secondaries have 

 the relative extent of these markings so reversed that 

 they may be described as white banded with blackish, 

 and tinged, especially towards the back, with brownish 

 yellow. The tail measures more than fifteen inches in 

 length, is rounded at the extremity, and consists of 

 eighteen broad feathers, which, when expanded and 

 elevated, assume the form of a fan. It is brown mot- 

 tled with black, and crossed by numerous narrow undu- 

 lating lines of the same. Near the tip is a broad black 

 band, then follows a short mottled portion, and lastly a 

 broad dingy yellowish band. The feet are robust, have 

 blunt spurs about an inch in length, and are of a red 

 colour, with blackish margins to the scales, and claws 

 of the same dusky hue. The bill is reddish and horn- 

 coloured at the tip ; and the irides are dark brown. 



The female is considerably smaller, not exceeding 

 three feet and a quarter in length. Her bill and legs are 

 less robust, the latter without any rudiment of a spur; 

 and her irides similar to those of the male. Her head and 

 neck are less denuded, being covered by short decom- 

 posed feathers of a dirty gray. Those of the back of 

 the neck have brownish tips, producing a longitudinal 

 band on that part. The caruncle on the forehead is 



