Head large, oblong, compressed. Eyes large. Neck long. Body slender, much compressed. Feet long, moderately stout; tibia bare at its lower part, with reticular angular scales; tarsus covered anteriorly for more than half its length with scutella, over the rest of its extent with angular scales; toes long and rather slender, with numerous scutella above, flat beneath, marginate; hind toe stout, fourth a little longer than second, third much longer. Claws of moderate size, arched, compressed, acute, that of middle toe beautifully pectinate on the inner edge.
Plumage loose, soft, and blended; feathers on the upper part of the head lanceolate and acuminate, those on the occiput very long, linear, forming a pendant crest, which however is capable of being erected; on the sides of the neck oblong, and directed obliquely backwards; on the fore part of the back ovate-oblong; on the lower part generally very long and loose. Between the scapulæ are two longitudinal series of very elongated feathers, with loose margins, the longest extending far beyond the end of the tail. Wings long, of great breadth, rounded; the primaries broad and rounded, the third longest, the second and fourth nearly equal, the first half an inch shorter than the longest, the rest slowly graduated; secondaries very broad, rounded, the inner elongated, some of them nearly as long as the outer primaries when the wing is closed. Tail short, even, of twelve broad, rounded feathers.
Bill black. Iris reddish-orange; margins of eyelids and bare space in front of the eye, dull yellowish-green. Tibia, upper part of the tarsus, its hind part, and the soles, bright yellow; the scutella and scales, the fore part of the tarsus, the toes, and the claws, black. Upper part of the head pale reddish-yellow in front, white behind, of which colour are most of the elongated crest feathers, as well as an oblong patch extending from the corner of the mouth, beneath, to behind the ear. The rest of the head, and a small portion of the neck all round, bluish-black; that colour extending nearly half-way down the neck behind. The rest of the neck all round, as well as the upper and lower surface of the body, light greyish-blue; the feathers of the fore part of the back, and wings, having their central parts bluish-black, which is also the case with the elongated loose feathers, the dark part margined with bluish-white. Alular, primary coverts, and primary quills, dark bluish-grey; secondaries and tail-feathers of a lighter tint.
Length to end of tail 23 1/2 inches, to end of wings 25, to end of loose feathers 30, to end of claws 30 1/4, to carpal joint 12 1/4; extent of wings 43 1/2; bill along the ridge 2 7/8, along the edge of lower mandible 4; width of gape 1 1/4; depth of bill at base 7 1/2/8; wing from flexure 12 1/2; bare part of tibia 2 1/4; tarsus 4 1/8; middle toe 2 1/2, its claw 3/8; outer toe 1 7/8, its claw 2 1/2/8; inner toe 1 3/4, its claw 2 1/2/8; hind toe 1, its claw 5/8; tail 5. Weight 1 lb. 9 oz.
The Female resembles the male, but is somewhat smaller.
The Young in October. Plate CCCXXXVI. Fig. 2.
Bill greenish-black, the lower and basal part of the lower mandible greenish-yellow, as are the eyelids and bare space before the eye. Iris pale orange. Legs and feet dull yellowish-green, the scutella and scales in front, as well as the claws, dusky. Upper part of head and hind neck, black, longitudinally marked with somewhat triangular elongated white spots; sides of the head and neck pale dull yellowish-brown, streaked with darker; the upper parts light grey tinged with brown, the feathers edged with yellowish-white, and tipped with a triangular spot of the same; the primaries and their coverts with the tail darker, margined with dull white. The fore part of the neck, and all the lower parts, dull yellowish-grey, each feather with its central part dark greyish-brown; lower tail-coverts unspotted.
Length to end of tail 23 1/2, to end of claws 29 1/2; extent of wings 40. Weight 1 lb. 7 oz.
Adult Male from South Carolina.
The upper mandible is slightly concave, with a median prominent ridge, the palate convex with two ridges; the posterior aperture of the nares linear, with an oblique papillate flap on each side; the lower mandible deeply concave. The tongue is of moderate length, measuring 1 3/4 inch, emarginate at the base, trigonal, flat above, tapering to a point. The œsophagus, which is 12 inches long, gradually diminishes in diameter from 1 1/2 inch to 1 inch. The proventriculus is 1 1/2 inch long, its glandules cylindrical, forming a complete belt, the largest 3 twelfths long. The stomach is roundish, 2 inches in diameter, compressed; its muscular coat thin, and composed of large fasciculi; its tendinous spaces nearly 1 inch in diameter; its inner coat even, soft, and destitute of epithelium. There is a small roundish pyloric lobe, 4 twelfths in diameter; the aperture of the pylorus is extremely small, having a diameter of only half a twelfth. The intestine is long and very slender, 6 feet 3 inches in length, its diameter at the upper part 3 twelfths; diminishing to 2 1/4 twelfths, for about a foot from the extremity enlarged to 5 eighths; the rectum 6 1/4 inches long; the cœcum 5 twelfths long, 1 1/2 twelfth in diameter at the base, tapering to 1 twelfth, the extremity rounded. The stomach contained fragments of crustacea.