Plumage moderately full, dense, soft, glossy. Feathers of the head and neck silky, blended, elongated along the median line, so as to form a not conspicuous crest; of the back rather compact; of the lower parts blended. Wings short, of moderate breadth, convex, acute; primaries narrow, tapering, the first scarcely shorter than the second, the rest rapidly graduated; secondaries rather short, narrow, rounded, the inner elongated and tapering. Tail short, much rounded, of eighteen rather narrow rounded feathers.
Bill bright vermilion, with the unguis black. Iris carmine. Feet orange-red in winter, bright vermilion in the breeding season. Head and upper half of neck greenish-black, splendent, with bright green reflections; hind part of neck below white; fore part of neck and all the under parts of a delicate reddish-buff; the sides of the rump and part of the abdomen greyish-white, finely undulated and dotted with dark grey; some of the lower wing-coverts dusky, the larger coverts and primaries light grey. The fore part of the back, and the inner scapulars, glossy black; the hind part ash-grey, becoming lighter and finally undulated on the rump. Upper tail-coverts and tail-feathers deep grey, outer scapulars white; a transverse band of black at the base of the wing, concealed by the scapulars. Wing-coverts white; alula, primary coverts, primary quills, and a band formed by the base of the first row of large coverts, black; secondaries white, six of them margined externally with a black line, the innermost margined on both webs, but more broadly on the inner, and with the tip black.
Length to end of tail 27 inches, to end of claws 26 1/2, to end of wings 24, to carpal joint 13 5/8, to end of green on the neck 7 1/4; extent of wings 36; bill along the ridge 2 8/12, along the edge of lower mandible 3 1/12; wing from flexure 11 1/4; tail 5; tarsus 1 10 1/2/12; first toe and claw 10/12; outer toe 2 7 1/2/12, its claw 4 1/2/12; middle toe 2 8/12, its claw 5/12. Weight 5 lb. Of another 3 3/4 lb.
| Dimensions of two other Males: | ||||
| Length to end of tail, | 26 | 25 | 7/8 inches. | |
| ................................claws, | 27 | 25 | ||
| ................................wings, | 24 | 23 | 1/2 | |
| Extent of wings, | 38 | 35 | ||
Female. Plate CCCXXXI.
The female is much smaller. The bill, eyes, and feet are coloured as in the male, but the ridge of the bill is black, and the nail whitish; the longitudinal crest is much more elongated, being composed of linear feathers, some of them fully two inches and a half long. Head and upper part of neck brownish-red; throat white; all the upper parts, with the sides of the body and rump deep ash-grey, the feathers paler at the margin. Smaller wing-coverts and inner secondaries grey; bases and tips of secondary coverts black, the intermediate part white; middle secondaries white, outer and primaries black; anterior part of neck below faintly banded with ash-grey; breast and abdomen white, slightly tinged with buff.
Length to end of tail 24 inches, to end of claws 23 1/2, to end of wings 20 3/4; extent of wings 34; bill along the ridge 1 11/12, along the edge of lower mandible 2 1/2; wing from flexure 10 1/4; tail 4 1/2; tarsus 1 9/12; hind toe and claw 8 1/2/12; middle toe 2 4/12, its claw 5/12; outer toe 2 4/12, its claw 4/12.
The young males after the autumnal moult, and until the middle of summer, resemble the females.
An adult male obtained near Boston examined. The heart is 2 inches long; the lobes of the liver are nearly equal, the right being 3 inches 7 twelfths long, the left 3 inches 3 twelfths.
The upper mandible has about 28 recurved conical, acute, horny papillæ, and an internal series of smaller, on each side; the tip of the unguis serrulate; on the lower mandible are about 40 of the same nature. The tongue is 2 inches 1 twelfth long, fleshy, emarginate, and papillate at the base, tapering, with a double row of slender reversed papillæ along the upper surface, and two lateral series of filaments on each side; the tip lacerated, horny on the back. Posterior nasal aperture oblong, 10 twelfths in length, papillate on the edges. Aperture of the glottis 4 1/2 twelfths long. The mouth is 10 twelfths in breadth, but may be extended to 1 inch 9 twelfths. The œsophagus is 10 1/2 inches long, its diameter 1 inch 7 twelfths on the neck, contracting to 8 twelfths as it enters the thorax, but again expanding; the external coat of transverse muscular fibres very thick; the internal layer of longitudinal fibres very distinct; the mucous coat thrown into prominent longitudinal plaits when contracted; the mucous follicles disposed in longitudinal single series. The proventriculus is 2 inches long, the glandules very numerous, oblong, about 2 twelfths in length, forming a complete belt. The stomach is a strong gizzard, of moderate size, 2 inches long, the lateral muscles 5 twelfths thick; the epithelium very thick, nearly 1 twelfth, longitudinally rugous. In the stomach and gullet was a fish 9 inches long, the portions lying in the stomach and proventriculus partially dissolved, the rest 4 inches long, not acted upon; there were also two fragments of quartz, one of them a quarter of an inch long. The intestine is long, measuring 6 feet 3 inches, its diameter from 5 to 3 twelfths. The cœca are 2 inches long, for half an inch 1 1/2 twelfth in diameter, in the rest of their extent 4 twelfths. The rectum 5 inches long, including the cloaca, which has a diameter of an inch and a quarter.