PURPLE GALLINULE. 41 
ish and slightly declinate as far as the middle, then arcuato-declinate, 
the ridge gradually narrowed until over the nostrils. afterwards consi- 
derably widened, the sides nearly erect, the edges sharp, the notch 
obsolete. Nasal groove extending nearly to the middle of the bill, 
broad ; nostrils sub-medial, lateral, oblong, direct, pervious. Lower 
mandible with the angle rather long and narrow, the sides nearly erect 
and slightly concave, the dorsal line beyond the angle ascending, straight, 
the edges sharp and direct, the tip narrowed, rather sharp. 
Head small, oblong, compressed. Eyes of moderate size. Body 
much compressed. Feet large, long; tibia bare a considerable way 
above the joint, and reticulated ; tarsus long, stout, compressed, ante- 
riorly covered with very broad scutella, laterally and posteriorly with 
two series of broad scutella, between which on the posterior edge is a 
series of very minute scales; hind toe comparatively small, middle toe 
longest, and much longer than the tarsus, fourth longer than second ; 
toes free, slender, compressed, with numerous broad scutella above, 
obliquely flattened beneath, marginate; claws very long, slender, 
slightly arched, much compressed, tapering to a very acute point. 
Plumage blended, firm, glossy, the feathers ovato-oblong, broad at 
the end. Wings rather long, broad, rather concave ; ovula large : pri- 
maries incurvate, broad, third longest, second a twelfth of an inch 
shorter, fourth two-twelfths shorter than second, which exceeds the 
first by eleven-twelfths ; secondaries broad and grounded. Tail short, 
much rounded, of twelve rather weak, rounded feathers, which but 
slightly exceed the lower coverts. 
Frontal plate ultramarine blue; bill bright carmine, tipped with 
bright yellow. Iris bright carmine ; margins of eyelids white. Tarsi, 
toes, and claws bright yellow. Head, fore part of neck, and breast rich 
purplish-blue ; abdomen and feathers of legs dusky ; sides green ; low- 
er wing-coverts light green; sides of the neck light purplish-blue, sha- 
ded into verdigris and brownish-green above; the fore part of the 
back verdigris-green, shaded with olivaceous ; the hind part and upper 
tail-coverts olivaceous ; the coverts and outer webs of the quills green- 
ish-blue, the inner webs clove-brown ; tail-feathers olivaceous. 
Length to end of tail 133 inches, to end of wings 134, to end of 
claws 18; extent of wings 211; bill along the ridge, including frontal 
plate 2; edge of lower mandible 13 ; tarsus 23 ; hind toe 1, its claw +$ ; 
middle toe 274, its claw 7%. 
