

which is not the case with the others ; the bill also appears somewhat smaller and 

 more slender; the tip of the bill, however, in both the male and female is somewhat 

 damaged, so that this cannot with certainty be decided." Dr. Stejneger does not 

 appear to have known whether the sexes differed, but he was right in concluding 

 that the bird described by Dr. Sharpe as an adult female is really only in transition 

 plumage : I am glad, therefore, to have been able to settle this point by saying that 

 a careful comparison of males and females in my collection shows that the females 

 can only be distinguished as stated below. 



Description. — Adult male. Entire upper surface of body crimson, brightest on the 

 head ; underparts crimson as far as the abdomen, where it shades into white ; under 

 tail-coverts white ; remiges and rectrices black, the former with a very narrow outer 

 edge of crimson ; secondaries black, edged broadly with scarlet ; wing-lining and under 

 wing-coverts ashy ; irides dark hazel ; bill and feet black. 



Adult female. Differs from the male in having the general crimson of the plumage 

 of a distinctly lighter shade, while the crimson on the outer edge of the secondaries, is 

 of the same shade as the rest of the plumage, whereas in the male it is of a much 

 lighter tint. 



Immature. General colour above ashy brown ; orange-buff on head and neck ; beneath 

 white tinged with buff, wing-coverts and secondaries broadly margined with buff; 

 crimson feathers absent or interspersed among the plumage according to age. 



Dimensions. — Male. Total length 5'25 inches, wing from carpal joint 2-95, culmen 

 •70, tarsus "95, tail 2-90. 



Female. Total length 4*85 inches, wing from carpal joint 2*85, culmen '60, tarsus "95, 

 tail 1-85. 



