446 FLORIDA JAY. 



Bill short, strong, straight, compressed, acute ; upper mandible with 

 the dorsal outhne nearly straight, the sides sloping, the edges sharp and 

 overlapping, the tip shghtly declinate ; lower mandible with the back 

 narrow, the sides sloping. Nostrils basal, open, covered by the reversed 

 bristly feathers. Head rather large, neck short, body robust. Feet of 

 ordinary length ; tarsus about the same length as the middle toe, ante- 

 riorly scutellate, compressed, acute behind ; toes free, scutellate, the inner 

 shorter than the outer ; claws arched, compressed, acute. 



Plumage soft, blended, glossy. A tuft of reflected bristly feathers over 

 the nostril on each side, and several bristle-pointed feathers at the base 

 of the upper mandible. Wings short, third and fourth quills longest, 

 first short. Tail long, much rounded, of twelve rounded feathers. 



Bill and feet brownish-black. Iris hazel. Upper part of the head, 

 the cheeks, side, and back part of the neck, the wings and tail, of a 

 bright purplish-azure. Back hght yellowish-brown. A band of white 

 on the forehead, extending over the eyes. The under parts brownish- 

 white. The upper tail-coverts are blue, and the tail-feathers are indistinct- 

 ly barred with deeper lines. 



Length 11^ inches ; bill along the ridge ||, along the gap nearly 1| ; 

 tarsus ly^^, middle toe nearly the same. 



Adult Female. Plate LXXXVII. Fig. 2. 



The female presents the same colours as the male, the difference in 

 tint being hardly perceptible. 



The Persimon Tree. 



DiosPYROS viRGiNiANA, WUld. Sp. PL vol. iv. p. 110?. Pursh, Flor. Amer. voL i. 

 p. 265. Mich. Abr. Forest, de I'Ainer. Sept. vol. ii. p. 195. PI. J2. — Polyoauia 

 Dkecia, Linn. GuAiACANiE, Juss. 



Leaves ovato-oblong, acuminate, smooth, venous ; petioles downy ; 

 buds smooth. The flowers are pale yellow, and the fruits, which are of 

 the size of a plum, are of a globular form, and when mature, of a dull 

 yellowish colour. The bark of old trees is cracked, and of a dark colour. 

 The wood is employed for various purposes, being fijie-grained, ard 

 and durable. 



