180 ARCTIC BLUE-BIRD. 



Bill and feet black; iris brown. The general colour of the upper parts is 

 light azure blue, approaching to smalt blue; the quills and larger coverts dark 

 greyish-brown, the outer tinged with blue, the primaries broadly margined 

 with light blue, the secondaries with greyish-blue, the inner chiefly with 

 dull white. The tail-feathers are also brown, gradually more blue toward 

 the base, and all broadly margined externally with that colour. The sides 

 of the head, the fore part and sides of the neck, and the anterior half of the 

 breast, light greenish-blue; that colour gradually fading on the hind part of 

 the breast; the abdomen and lower tail-coverts greyish-white. 



Length to end of tail 7i inches; bill along the ridge ■£%, along the edge of 

 lower mandible -Jf ; wing from flexure 4yf ; tail 2-^; tarsus yf, hind toe T %, 

 its claw -j|-; middle toe yf, its claw yf. 



Adult Female. 



The female differs greatly. The parts which retain the same colour are 

 the rump, wings, and tail, of which, however, the blue edgings are less pure 

 and of less extent, and the outer primary and outer tail-feathers are margined 

 externally with white. The upper part of the head, the hind neck, the 

 back, scapulars, and wing-coverts are light greyish-brown, margined with 

 pale greenish-blue; the cheeks and sides of the neck are paler; the fore part 

 of the neck and the anterior portion of the breast are light greyish-brown, 

 on the breast tinged with red; the rest of the lower parts of an undecided 

 brownish-white tint; the lower wing-coverts pale greyish-brown, edged with 

 white, the lower tail-coverts with a medial dusky streak. 



Length to end of tail 6f inches; bill along the ridge ff ; wing from 

 flexure 4 T 2 2 ; tail 2^ ; tarsus yf ; hind toe f%, its claw yf, middle toe ff , its 

 claw yf. 



The above descriptions are taken from skins procured by Mr. Townsend 

 on the Columbia river. That of the male is from a specimen shot in June 

 1835; and that of the female from one shot on the 26th of the same month 

 and year. Of two other specimens in my possession, a male agrees with 

 that described, but has the blue of the upper parts deeper, and of a tint 

 approaching to that of the common species. The female is also similar to 

 that described, but has a dull white spot before the eye, and the upper part 

 of the throat brownish-white. 



