256 



ORNITHOLOGY. 



two and a half inches across the whigs; irides, bill, and feet, lake-red, 

 the tip of the bill orange color, shaded gradually into the red." 



Dr. Pickering also mentions having frequently noticed this bird : 

 " generally solitary in the deep woods and high up among the 

 branches. It did not appear to be very readily procured, though 

 much sought for as a delicacy for the table." 



2. Carpophaga aurora, Peale. 



CarpopJiaga auroire, Peale, Zool. U. S. Esp. Exp. Vincennes, Birds, p. 201 (1st 

 ed. 1848). 



Atlas, Ornithology, Plate XXIV. Adult male and female. 



Supra saturate-coerulea, metalico viridi micante. Capite, collo, corpore- 

 que infra pallide cinereis ; crissis saturate plumheis. Long. tot. 16 

 jpollices. 



Form. — Large, about the size of, or rather larger than Carpophaga 

 perspicilJata (Temm.). Bill rather short, with a large frontal pro- 

 tuberance ; wing rather long ; third quill longest ; primaries taper- 

 ing towards their ends; tail moderate, wide, truncate, containing 

 fourteen feathers. Tarsus feathered somewhat below the joint with 

 the tibia, and showing about six scales in front ; toes moderate ; 

 hind toe much padded and flattened ; claws rather strong, curved. 



Dimensions. — Male. Total length (of skin), from tip of bill to end 

 of tail, about sixteen inches ; wing, ten and a half inches ; tail, six 

 and a half inches; bill, to corner of the mouth, one and three-tenths 

 of an inch ; tarsus, one and a half inches. (Extent of wings, thirty- 

 one inches, according to Mr. Peale.) 



Colors. — Male. Head, neck, and entire under parts, pale cinereous, 

 nearly white at the bases of both mandibles, and very light on the 

 entire head, neck, and breast, deeper on the abdomen, and dark on 

 the ventral region, inclining to lead color. Under coverts of the tail 

 dark lead-color, glossed with metallic green. Back, rump, wings, and 



