272 NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 



DESCRIPTION 

 Of a mature male, from near Philadelphia, in Mr. Swainson's museum. 



Colour. — Bill yellowish-white (pure white in the live bird, according to Wilson). 



General colour of the upper plumage, together with the whole of the head and throat, deep 



black. The lesser covers are marked with a conspicuous white spot, which is placed in the 



middle of this part of the wing, and which, consequently, does not form a band : most of the 



greater covers are terminated externally, by an oval white spot, particularly those nearest the 



tertials ; similar spots, but still smaller, are at the ends of the tertials and secondary quills : 



primary quills deep black for rather more than half their length, the basal part being pure 



white. Lower part of the back and rump white, irregularly varied with black. Tail deep 



black, the three outer feathers having a large oval white spot on their inner webs, occupying 



more than half the length of the feathers. Under surface. — Front of the breast with a large 



patch of bright and deep carmine or rose-colour, narrowing into a line down the middle of 



the body ; under wing covers the same : rest of the under plumage white, with a few black 



stripes down the middle of the flank feathers. Legs and feet, according to Wilson, light-blue. 



Eyes hazel. 



Form, typical of the American division of the genus. Bill strong, culmen gently curved, 



profile of the gonyx straight ; under mandible rather thicker and deeper than the upper, with 



an internal tooth at its base ; commissure considerably angulated towards the base, and 



sinuated beyond, — both having a slight and almost obsolete notch at their tips. Nostrils 



round, not concealed. Wings moderate, rather pointed : second and third quills equal and 



longest ; first and fourth equal, the rest considerably shorter : lesser quills with their ends 



abruptly truncated and somewhat emarginate. Tail rather lengthened ; all the feathers 



equal *, except the two outer pair, which are slightly graduated. Tarsi obviously longer 



than the hallux. Inner toe shortest ; hinder claw broader, stronger, and more curved, but 



not so long as that of the middle toe. 



The reader is referred to Wilson for an elaborate description of the female and young 



male. 



Dimensions. 



Inches. Inches. 



Total length ....... 8 Length of tarsus 



of tail ..... 3 ,, of middle toe and claw 



of folded wing .... 4 I 1 5 „ of hind toe and claw 



of bill from rictus U 



— Sw. 



* Wilson says " forked ;" this must be a mistake : probably he alluded to its being divaricated, that is, the feathers 

 on each side forming a sort of fasciculus : this is observed in all birds having the shaft of the middle tail feathers very 

 near the outer margin. — Sw. 



