• 30 
CRIMSON-WINGED TROOPIAL. 
straight, being a little convex at 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 slightly depressed ; lower mandible higher at the 
base than the upper, with the angle rather short and wide, the sides rather 
flat and inclined inwards at the base, convex towfird the end, the edges 
inflected, 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, of which the upper are blended, 
the two lateral plates meeting at an acute angle behind ; toes rather large, 
compressed ; the first much stronger, the outer a little shorter than the inner ; 
claws large, arched, compressed, laterally grooved, very acute. 
Plumage soft, blended, glossy, the feathers ovate and rounded ; those on 
the fore and upper parts of the head standing erect, so as to present a vel- 
vety surface. Wings rather long, the second quill longest, but exceeding the 
third only by half a twelfth, the first shorter than the fourth ; the secon- 
daries broadly rounded ; the second, third, fourth, and fifth primaries cut out 
on the outer web toward the end. Tail of twelve broadly rounded fea- 
thers, rather long, slightly rounded, the lateral feathers being two-twelfths 
shorter than the middle. 
Bill and feet black. The general colour of the plumage is glossy bluish- 
black, on the head velvet-black ; the smaller wing-coverts scarlet, at the 
base white. 
Length to end of tail, 9 inches, bill along the ridge ^ ; wing from flex- 
ure 5 A 5 tail 4 t V ; tarsus lfV ; hind toe M, its claw t 7 j ; second toe T %, its 
claw yij- ; third toe its claw T 5 ¥ ; fourth toe its claw T V 
Female. 
The female, which is much smaller, has the bill and feet greyish-black ; 
the upper parts are dark brown, the feathers edged with light brown ; the 
smaller wing-coverts edged with dull scarlet, the first row with whitish ; the 
larger coverts, the quills and tail-feathers blackish-brown, edged with yellow- 
ish-brown ; the lower parts are dull brown, but the throat, and a broad 
streak over the eye are dull orange. 
