Inches. Lines. Inches. Lines
Length from the point of the bill to the
DIMENSIONS.
base of the ta il......................... 4
of the tail ..................................... 3
bill to the angle of the mouth 0
wings when folded ............ 3
Length of the tarsus ........................... 0 7
0 outer toe ............................. 0 4£
0 middle toe ......................... 0 6
inner toe ........ 0 4
hinder toe.......•..................... 0 4 |
hinder claw......................... 0 3f
FemaleE-Chin and throat dirty white. The feathers which are cinnamon-
red in the male are, in the female, a dull pale brown, tinted with pearl-grey.
Only two specimens of this bird were procured, both about sixty miles to the south of
the Orange River. When they were killed, they were on the ground actively employed
picking up the seeds which had fallen from the shrubs among which they were moving.
The natives (Bechuanas) seeing these birds carefully carried to our tents, expressed surprise
at our thinking them of value; and those who saw with what care they had been preserved,
made known the-proceeding to every new comer.