Bill about the length of the head, straight, compressed, tapering. Upper mandible with the dorsal line straight, slightly declinate towards the tip, the ridge convex, the sides convex, the edges sharp and inflected, the tip rather sharp. Nasal groove rather wide, extending to nearly half the length of the mandible; nostrils linear-elliptical, basal, rather small, pervious. Lower mandible with the angle long and extremely narrow; dorsal line beyond it ascending and straight, sides erect, slightly convex, tip acuminate, edges sharp.
Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. Neck long, slender. Body long and depressed. Feet short, large, placed close to the extremity of the body; tibia feathered to the joint; tarsus extremely compressed; its anterior edge with a row of small scutella, the sides with broad scutella, behind which are some irregular scales, the posterior ridge with a double line of small prominent scales; first toe very small with a posterior membrane, fourth longest; the toes scutellate above, connected at the base by a membrane, and having on both sides an expanded web-like margin marked with oblique lines, and having a crenated edge. Claws flat, that of third toe broadest.
Plumage very soft, blended, on the lower parts silky, on the back glossy and rather compact. Two tufts of elongated feathers on the occiput, and a large frill on the sides and anterior portion of the neck at its upper part. Wings small, acute; primaries much curved, second longest, first almost equal, the rest rapidly graduated; secondaries short, rounded. Tail a slight tuft of loose feathers.
Bill blackish-brown tinged with carmine; bare loral space dusky green, as is the edge of the eyelids. Iris bright carmine. Feet greenish-black, the webs greyish-blue. Upper part of the head and tufts greyish-black tinged with green, as is the hind part of the ruff, its anterior part being brownish-red; sides of the head and the throat white; fore neck white tinged with brown; breast silvery white, sides reddish-brown with dusky streaks; the upper parts are brownish-black, the feathers edged with lighter, the sides of the neck tinged with reddish, as is the rump. Wing-coverts greyish-brown, primary quills brownish-black, tips of the inner white, the middle secondaries white.
Length to end of tail 24 inches, to end of wings 21, to end of claws 29; extent of wings 33; wing from flexure 7 1/2; bill along the ridge 2, along the edge of lower mandible 2 7/12; tarsus 2 1/2; third toe 3/4, its claw 1/4. Weight 2 lb. 9 oz.
Adult Female in spring. Plate CCXCII. Fig. 2.
The Female has the occipital feathers a little elongated, but wants the ruff on the neck. Bill dusky green; bare loral space, edges of eyelids, and iris, as in the male. Upper part of head and hind neck blackish-grey; back and wings as in the male, but more tinged with grey; lower parts silvery white, the sides under the wings dusky.
Length to end of tail 19 1/2, to end of claws 24 1/4; extent of wings 30; bill along the back 2 1/4, along the edge of lower mandible 2 3/4; tarsus 2 1/4; third toe 2 1/2, its claw 1/4. Weight 1 lb. 6 1/2 oz.
The following account of the digestive organs of this species was taken from an adult male.
The œsophagus is nine and a half inches long; at its commencement, and for an inch and a half, it has a diameter of half an inch, for the next two inches only two-twelfths, towards the lower extremity four-twelfths; this, however, in the contracted state, the specimen having been kept in spirits. The mucous coat is raised into numerous longitudinal folds.