178 NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 



moments, from joining 1 his aspirations to the song which every creature around is 

 pouring forth to the great Creator. 



DESCRIPTION 



Of a male killed, May 2Cth, 1826, at Fort Franklin, Great Bear Lake. 



Colour of the upper aspect and sides of the head brownish-black, gradually fading, on 

 the back of the neck, to blackish-brown, and on the posterior part of the back and tail- 

 coverts to smoke-grey ; the brownish feathers on the sides of the neck and between the 

 shoulders are margined with the latter colour. The eye is encircled by an interrupted white 

 border. The ivings are blackish-brown, the exterior edges of the feathers faded and greyish ; 

 the lowest row of lesser coverts is minutely tipt with wood-brown. The tail is brownish- 

 black, the exterior feather having a large white spot on the extremity of its inner web, and 

 the adjoining one a narrow white tip. Under surface. — The white chin is spotted with 

 brownish-black, and a narrow belt of the same crosses the throat from cheek to cheek. The 

 rest of the inferior surface as far as the vent, and also the under wing-coverts, are pure 

 reddish-orange *. The vent feathers and under tail-coverts are white, the latter spotted 

 with clove-brown. The insides of the quill feathers, and the under surface of the tail, are 

 clove-brown. The bill is lemon-yellow, with a brownish tip. Legs pale umber-brown. The 

 whole of the plumage appears worn on the edges in the spring, the season in which this 

 specimen was procured. 



Form, &c. — Bill straight, weakened at the base by large depressions for the nostrils, 

 between which the ridge is prominent, moderately compressed towards the point ; ridge 

 obtuse, its tip arched ; cutting margin straight to the tip, which droops, and is strongly notched 

 on each side. Nostrils small, oval, longitudinal ; there are some strong hairs at the angle of 

 the mouth. Wings nearly two inches shorter than the tail. Quill feathers considerably 

 narrowed at the point ; the first or spurious quill is very short ; the third and fourth are the 

 longest ; the fifth is a line or two shorter ; the second is intermediate between the fifth and 

 sixth ; the outer webs of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth are strongly sinuated. The tail is 

 even, and rather long. Legs pale umber-brown. The tarsi are naked. The middle and 

 exterior toes are united by the whole length of the first phalanx of the latter. 



Dimensions 

 Of the male. 



Inches. Lines. Inches. Lines. 



Length from the tip of the bill to the end Length of the bill from the angle of the mouth 1 1 



of the tail 10 6 



,, of the tail ..... 4 



,, of the longest quill feather . 4 9 



„ of the folded wing ... 5 6 



,, of the bill measured along the ridge 9 



of the tarsus .... 1 4 



of the middle toe . . . 11^ 



of its claw ..... 4 



of the hind toe ... 7 



of its claw ..... 4A 



Helvolns. — Intermediate between buff-orange and tile-red. 



