THE MOONAL. 133 



reddish brown, which has a sort of raw sienna tint. The mark- 

 ings are sometimes nearly wanting towards the small end, and 

 are always, I think, least conspicuous and least dense at the 

 two ends. Sometimes the whole egg is densely mottled all 

 over with the reddish brown ; sometimes again the markings are 

 almost wholly wanting ; and in some they are gathered into 

 large and comparatively bold blotches. 



In length the eggs vary from 2*41 to 2*69, and in width from 

 17 to 1*89 ; but the average of thirty-six eggs is 2*55 by 178. 



These birds vary a good deal in size, and very notably in 

 weight, according to age. 



Males. — Length, 26 to 29 ; expanse, 34 to 37 ; tail from vent, 

 9*5 to io*5; wing, 11 to 12*2; tarsus, 27 to 3*0; bill from 

 gape, 1*9 to 2' 1. Weight, 4ft>s. 6 ozs. to 5 fibs. 40ZS. 



Females. — Length, 24 to 26 ; expanse, 34*0 to 36*5 ; tail 

 from vent, 9-0 to IO'O ; wing, 10*3 to in ; tarsus, 2-65 to 2*9 ; 

 bill from gape, 17 to 1*9. Weight, 4fibs. to 4fibs. 12 ozs. 



In the male the bill is blackish, with the ridge, cutting edges, 

 and lower mandible pale horny. In the female it is paler ; the 

 upper mandible a dark horny ; the lower whitish ; the legs and 

 feet vary from dusky greenish to pale yellowish green ; the 

 claws are dark horny ; irides clear, dark brown ; orbital skin 

 pure cserulean to brilliant turquoise blue. 



The PLATE, though it very fairly represents the shape and 

 general appearance of both sexes, fails utterly to convey any 

 adequate conception of the intensely brilliant metallic lustre 

 of the upper plumage of the male. Perhaps no chromo could 

 accurately reproduce this. 



v ^^w 



