KED-BREASTED BLACKBIRD, 
eyes, and forms on each side a thick plate, 
which looks, when the bird is alive, like the 
brightest silver ; hut this lustre tarnishes after 
death. It is iraperfeilly represented in the 
Planches Enluminees. Edwards has given an 
excellent figure of this bird, under the name of 
the Red-Breasted Blackbird : he is deceived, 
indeed^ with regard to the genus, but he has 
hit the discriminating features. The total 
length Is six inches and a half ; and that of the 
bill, which is black on the upper part, is nine 
lines. The head, throat, a-^id breast, are purple ; 
and the rest of the body is black, with some 
purple tints. The iris is brown. The Female 
differs from the Male, not only in the colour 
of the bill, but in that of the plumage. The 
upper part of the body is brown, with some 
shades of obscure purple, and the under part 
reddish : the tail, and wings, are brown. Ano- 
ther discriminating chara6ler of the Male, is a 
sort of half-coilar round the occiput, formed 
by long purple bristles which projedl nearly 
three lines beyond the feathers. We are in- 
debted to Sonini for this remark ; and, also, 
for our acquaintance with this and ail the other 
Tanagres of Guiana. This bird is more nu- 
merous 
