VIDUA AXILLARIS.— Smith. 
Ayes. — Plate XVII. (Male.) 
Y. nigra : humerorum partibus anterioribus aurantiis; alarum tectricibus axillisque flavo-brunneis ; man- 
dibulEi superiore nigra, inferiore albida ; pedibus rubro-bnmneis. 
Loxgitudo G unc. 
Colour, &c. -Velvet-black; the anterior portion of shoulder orpiment 
orange ; wing coverts intermediate between yellowish brown and reddish 
orange, which is also the colour of the inner surface of the shoulders. 
Primary and secondary quill coverts black, their outer vanes delicately edged 
with light yellowish brown; quill and tail feathers black, with a greenish 
gloss ; the outer vanes of most of the secondary and tertiary quill feathers 
tow aids their points narrowly edged with pale wood-brown, and several of 
the teitiaries are also tipt with the same colour. Upper mandible black; 
lower, bluish white ; legs, toes, and claws dark reddish brown. 
Form, &c. — Bill strong, conical, and pointed, its sides slightly flattened ; 
the under mandible larger than the upper. Wings when folded reach about 
an inch and a half beyond the base of the tail ; the first quill feather 
rudimentary, the fourth, the fifth, and the sixth equal in length, and the 
longest, the second, third, and seventh rather shorter. Tail feathers unequal 
as to length, being in our specimen in different stages of growth, and in 
progress to form a long tail, which the males of this species evidently possess 
during the summer season. Tarsi strong, the division between the plates, in 
front, distinctly marked; toes strong, claw^s long, pointed, and slightly 
curved, — the claw of the hinder toe largest, and its form strongly indicating 
the office it is required to perform in assisting the bird in supporting itself on 
reeds, rushes, &c., upon which it usually perches. The inner and outer toes 
of equal length. 
