26 
YELLOW-HEADED TROOPIAL. 
the base, the ridge a little flattened toward the base, where it runs into a 
short tapering process, the_ sides rounded, the edges inflected, the tip a little 
depressed ; lower mandible rather higher at the base than the upper, with the 
angle short and wide ; the sides convex at the base, toward the end rounded, 
the edges involute, the tip acute ; the gap-line straight, but at the base 
deflected. Nostrils oval, in the fore part of the short nasal depression. 
Head of moderate. size, ovate, with the forehead flattened ; neck short ; 
body moderately stout. Feet of ordinary length ; tarsus rather stout, com- 
pressed, with seven large anterior scutella, and two lateral plates, meeting 
behind at an acute angle ; toes rather large, compressed, the first much 
stronger, the outer a little shorter than the inner and united with the third 
as far as the second joint ; claws long, little arched, compressed, laterally 
grooved, very acute. 
Plumage soft, blended, glossy ; the feathers generally ovate ; those on the 
upper part of the head stiffish and somewhat silky. Wings of ordinary 
length, the first, second, and third quills almost equal, the second being 
longest ; outer secondaries slightly emarginate. Tail rather long, rounded, 
the lateral feathers four-twelfths of an inch shorter than the longest. 
Bill and feet black ; iris hazel. The head, the upper part of the hind 
neck, the fore neck and part of the breast, orange-yellow, the throat paler ; 
the feathers along the base of the bill, the loral space, a band below the eye, 
and a narrower one above it, black. The rest of the plumage is glossy 
black, excepting two bands on the outer part of the wing, formed by some 
of the smaller coverts, and the primary coverts, which are white. 
Length to end of tail 9 inches ; bill along the ridge ; wing from flexure 
5f| ; tail 4 T \ ; tarsus lfk ; hind toe t 7 j , its claw T 8 2 ; second too T \, its 
claw 5L. ; third toe j4, its claw T s | ; fourth toe r 7 J its claw , s *. 
Female. 
The female, which is much smaller, is of a uniform greyish-brown colour, 
with the feathers at the base of the upper mandible, a band over the eye, 
and the fore part of the neck light yellow ; the throat dull white, and the 
feathers on the middle of the breast margined with white toward the end. 
The bill and feet are dusky brown. 
Young. 
The head represented is that of a young male assuming the plumage of 
the adult. 
