Ornithological biography, Vol. 4 (of 5)

by John James Audubon

Adult Male. Plate CCCXXVII. Fig. 1.

Bill longer than the head, higher than broad at the base, depressed and much widened towards the end, where its breadth is doubled. Upper mandible with the dorsal line sloping and very slightly concave, the ridge at the base broad, narrowed over the nostrils; sides nearly erect at the base, gradually more decimate and convex; the tip very broadly rounded, with the unguis oblong, rather small, curved and rounded at the extremity; the margins soft, with very numerous lamellæ, which are prolonged beyond the edges and taper to a point, unless at the commencement of the broadest part of the bill. Nasal groove elliptical, and filled by the soft membrane of the bill; nostrils elliptical, pervious, placed near the ridge. Lower mandible slightly curved upwards, with the angle very long and narrow, the unguis obovate.

Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed, rounded above; neck moderate; body rather full, slightly depressed. Feet short, stout, placed a little behind the centre of the body; legs bare a little above the joint; tarsus very short, moderately compressed, anteriorly with small scutella, and an external short series of larger, on the other parts reticulated with small scales. Hind toe very small, with a narrow free membrane; third toe longest, fourth almost as long; the three anterior slender, with numerous oblique scutella, and connected by webs which have the margin concave and denticulate; the inner toe with a broad margin. Claws small, arched, compressed, acute; that of middle toe slightly dilated on the inner edge.

Plumage dense, soft, and elastic; of the head and neck short, blended, and splendent, of the occiput and nape considerably elongated; of the other parts in general broad and rounded. Wings of moderate length, acute; primaries narrow and tapering, the first longest, the second very little shorter; the secondaries broad, curved inwards; the inner elongated and tapering. Tail short, rounded, of fourteen acute feathers, of which the two middle extend five twelfths of an inch beyond the next.

Bill greyish-black tinged with yellow. Iris reddish-orange. Feet vermilion; claws dusky. Head and upper part of neck, deep green with purplish reflections, the top of the head of a darker tint with less vivid gloss. A longitudinal band on the hind neck and the back, greyish-brown, the feathers edged with paler; the rump and upper tail-coverts greenish-black. The anterior scapulars white, the posterior elongated, light blue on the outer web, longitudinally banded with white and greenish-black on the inner. Smaller wing-coverts light blue; alula, primary coverts, and primary quills blackish-brown, their shafts white. Outer secondaries greyish-brown, eight of them externally of a rich duck-green; the inner greenish-black, with a longitudinal white streak; the secondary coverts broadly tipped with white. Tail-feathers greyish-brown, irregularly variegated and margined with reddish-white, that colour enlarging on the outer feathers. Lower part of neck pure white; breast and middle part of abdomen dull purplish-chestnut. A large patch of white on each side of the rump, with a band of the same towards the tail; lower tail-coverts greenish-black, with bright green and blue reflections; axillaries and lower wing-coverts pure white.

Length to end of tail 20 1/2 inches, to end of wings 19, to end of claws 21 1/4; extent of wings 31 1/2: bill along the ridge 2 8/12; wing from flexure 9 8/12; tail 2 10/12; tarsus 1 4/12; first toe and claw 8/12; third toe 1 9/12, its toe 5/12, fourth toe 1 9/12, its claw 3 1/2/12. Weight 1 lb. 9 oz.

Female. Plate CCCXXVII. Fig. 2.

Bill dull yellowish-green, iris paler than in the male; feet as in the male but lighter. The upper parts are blackish-brown, the feathers edged with light reddish-brown; the throat and sides of the head are light reddish-brown, which is the prevailing colour over the lower part of the neck, a portion of the breast and the sides, of which however the feathers are margined with dusky; the middle of the breast white. Smaller wing-coverts dull brownish-grey; alula and primaries as in the male; inner secondaries brownish-black; the speculum as in the male, but paler, and changing to blue; the secondary coverts tipped with white; tail nearly as in the male.

Length to end of tail 17 inches; to end of claws 20; bill along the ridge 2 1/12; extent of wings 29 1/2. Weight 1 lb. 1 oz.

The bill of a male measures 2 inches and 8 twelfths along the ridge, the frontal angles 4 twelfths more; the breadth of the upper mandible at the base is 8 1/2 twelfths, near the end 1 inch and 3 twelfths. The roof of the mouth is broadly and deeply concave, with a prominent median ridge, which becomes papillate towards the base; the edges of the mandible soft, direct, inflected towards the end; lamellæ projecting beyond the margins and tapering to a point. On each side of the lower mandible are about 220 lamellæ, and about 180 on the upper. The tongue is 2 3/4 inches long, deeply emarginate at the base, with numerous papillæ, for half an inch narrow and compressed, then for an inch expanded, with a thin longitudinal flap above on each side divided into lamellæ and minute bristles, at its anterior part having a breadth of 1 inch and terminating abruptly, but with a median thin semicircular tip, which is 3 twelfths long.