1 7 8 * n o r t h e r n z o o l o g y .
moments, from joining his aspirations to the song which every pouring forth to the great Creator. creature around is
DESCRIPTION
Of a male killed, May 26th, 1826, at Fort Franklin, Great Bear Lake.
C olour of the upper aspect and sides ,of the head brownish-black, gradually fading, on
the back'of the neck, to blackish-brown, and on the posterior part of the back and tail-
coverts to smoke-grey ; the brownish feathers on the sides of the neck and between the
shoulders are margined with the latter colour. The eye is encircled by an interrupted white
border. The wings are blackish-brown, the exterior edges of the feathers faded and greyish ;
the lowest row of lesser coverts is minutely tipt with wood-brown. The tail is brownish-
black, the exterior feather having a large white spot on the extremity of its inner web, and
the adjoining one a narrow white tip. Under surface.—The white chin is spotted with
brownish-black, and a narrow belt of the same crosses the throat from cheek to cheek. The
rest of the inferior surface as far as the vent, and also the under wing-coverts, are pure
reddish-orange *. The vent feathers and under tail-coverts are white, the latter spotted
with clove-brown. The insides of the quill feathers, and the under surface of the tail, are
clove-brown. The bill is lemon-yellow, with a brownish tip. Legs pale umber-brown. The
whole of the plumage appears worn on the edges in the spring, the season in which this
specimen was procured.
F orm, & c.— Bill straight, weakened at the base by large depressions for the nostrils,
between which the ridge is prominent, moderately compressed towards the point; ridge
obtuse, its tip arched; cutting margin straight to the tip, which droops, and is strongly notched
on each side. Nostrils small, oval, longitudinal; there are some strong hairs at the angle of
the mouth. Wings nearly two inches shorter than the tail. Quill feathers considerably
narrowed at the point; the first or spurious quill is very short; the third and fourth’ are the
longest ; the fifth is a line or two shorter; the second is intermediate between the fifth and
sixth ; the outer webs of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth are strongly sinuated. The tail is
even, and rather long. Legs pale umber-brown. The tarsi are naked. The middle and
exterior toes are united by the whole length of the first phalanx of the latter.
D im en s io n s
Of the male.
Inches.
Length from the tip of the bill to the end
Lines. Inches.
Length of the bill from the angle of the mouth 1
. Lines
of the tail . . . . . 10 1 6 rf -. >5 ' of the tarsus , . . 1 4 ,, of the tail. . . . . 4 0 „ of the middle toe . . , . . r 0 11* „ of the longest quill feather . 4 9 c | | of its claw . , . . 0 4 1 of the. folded wing . . . 5 6 „ . of the hind toe . . 0 7 ,, of the bill measured along the ridge 0 9 • „ of its claw . . . ■ ■ . . 0 4*
Helvolus,—Intermediate between buff-orange and tilfe-red.