ISO 
ARCTIC BLUE-BIRD. 
Bill and feet black ; iris brown. The general colour of the upper part.? is 
light azure blue, approaching to smalt blue; the quills and larger coverts dark 
greyish-brown, the outer tinged with blue, the primaries broadly margined 
with light blue, the secondaries with greyish-blue, the inner chiefly with 
dull white. The tail-feathers are also brown, gradually more blue toward 
the base, and all broadly margined externally with that colour. The sides 
of the head, the fore part and sides of the neck, and the anterior half of the 
breast, light greenish-blue ; that colour gradually fading on the hind part 
of the breast ; the abdomen and lower tail-coverts greyish-white. 
Length to end of tail 7^ inches ; bill along the ridge /L, along the edge 
of lower mandible ; wing from flexure 4-,-* ; tail 2 \ \ ; tarsus hind toe 
t 4 ? , its claw t 4 2 ; middle toe yi, its claw y|. 
Adult Female. 
The female differs greatly. The parts which retain the same colour are 
the rump, wings, and tail, of which, however, the blue edgings are less pure 
and of less extent, and the outer primary and outer tail-feathers are margined 
externally with white. The upper part of the head, the hind neck, the 
back, scapulars, and wing-coverts are light greyish-brown, margined with 
pale greenish-blue ; the cheek and sides of the neck are paler ; the fore part 
of the neck and the anterior portion of the breast are light greyish-brown, 
on the breast tinged with red ; the rest of the lower parts of an undecided 
brownish-white tint ; the lower wing-coverts pale greyish-brown, edged 
with white, the lower tail-coverts witli a medial dusky streak. 
Length to end of tail 6f inches ; bill along the ridge T 6 *- ; wing from 
flexure 4 r 2 2 ; tail 2 r 7 2 ; tarsus ; hind toe 7 \, its claw 71, middle toe 
its claw 
The above descriptions are taken from skins procured by Mr. Townsend 
on the Columbia river. That of the male is from a specimen shot in June 
1835 ; and that of the female from one shot on the 26th of the same month 
and year. Of two other specimens in my possession, a male agrees with 
that described, but has the blue of the upper parts deeper, and of a tint 
approaching to that of the common species. The female is also similar to 
that described, but has a dull white spot before the eye, and the upper part 
of the throat brownish-white. 
