CRIMSON -EARED BENGALY. 
193 
the tail is long, slender, and graduated ; the wings 
only reaching to the ends of the under tail-covers. 
There is a peculiarity, however, in the wing-feathers ; 
the first quill is minute and spurious, hut the second 
is fully two-tenths of an inch shorter than the third, 
and is considerably narrowed at its end, like many 
of the representatives of the rasorial type. The 
feet are stronger than in the last ; the claws broader 
and more curved, and the hinder one shorter, so 
that it is not equal to its toe. 
The colouring is very delicate ; a light greyish- 
brown spreads over all the upper parts, excepting 
the tail and its covers ; these parts, together with 
all the under plumage (the middle of the body 
being alone white), are of a sky or verditer-blue ; 
the ears of the male have a deep purplish red spot, 
which is wanting in the female ; the bill in the live 
bird, as Edwards says, is of a “ dirty flesh colour 
hut in our dried specimens, it is discoloured with 
blackish; legs, whitish. All the tail-feathers are 
graduated, with about a tenth of an inch between 
each. Edwards’ figure of the female is very good. 
The Portuguese import it, with many others, from 
their settlements on the African coast, and call it 
Azulina, or the Blue-bird. 
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