218 ORNITHOLOGY. 



The plainest colored and most inconspicuous in general appearance 

 of all the species of this genus. In nearly all stages of plumage usually 

 met with, the band across the breast is a character strongly marked, 

 but is also present in the young of T. tufa, described in a preceding 

 page, with which it has been confounded by some authors. This cha- 

 racter, however, disappears in the adult male, and probably in the 

 adults of both sexes. 



Differences between this species and the young of T. lata are pointed 

 out in our description of the latter, and we have further endeavored 

 to elucidate this point by giving figures of both in the Atlas accom- 

 panying the present volume. The present species appears to be pecu- 

 liar to the Society Islands. We have before us, nine specimens, five 

 of which belong to the collection of the Philadelphia Academy, and 

 four to that of the Exploring Expedition, in the Vincennes and Pea- 

 cock. These probably represent all the changes of plumage. 



Our figures are of the size of life. 



11. TODIRAMPHUS PTRRHOPYGIUS {GouM) . 

 JJiilnjon fyrrliopygia^ GouLD, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1840, p. 113. 



Gould, B. of Aust. II, Plate XXII ; Reichenbach, Vollst. Naturg. 

 Plate CCCCXX, fig. 3141. 



FoRji. — Bill moderate ; ridge of upper mandible obscure and flattened, 

 that of under mandible slightly ascending towards the tip ; wing 

 moderate ; second quill longest ; tail moderate ; tarsus short. 



Dimensions. — Total length (of skin), about seven and one half 

 inches ; wing, three and three-fourths to four inches ; tail, two and 

 three-fourths inches. 



Colors. — Adult. Back and rump light rufous. Head above, dull 

 bluish-green, every feather edged with white. A stripe over the eye 

 to the occiput white, another under and behind the eye to the occiput 

 black, tinged with bluish; scapulars, wing-coverts, outer edges of quills, 

 and tail, light blue, tinged with green on the scapulars and tail. 



Collar around the back of the neck and entire under parts white. 



