NORTHERN ZOOLOGY.
the cutting margin under the nostrils. Nostrils oval, longitudinal. Wings falling three
inches short of the end of the tail. The fourth wing feather is the longest: the first is shorter
than the secondaries * ; the third to the sixth inclusive have their exterior webs deeply and
abruptly sinuated; and the second to the fifth inclusive have their inner webs sinuated. The
tail is long and emarginated at the end. Tarsi long and slender, feathered about half an
inch below the joint, and covered elsewhere before and behind with large obliquely transverse
scales, whose separations are scarcely visible. The middle toe is long and slender, Being more
than twice the length of the hind one or inner fore one: a web, extending half the length of
its first phalanx, connects it to the outer toe. The claws are much curved, compressed, and
very acute; the hind one and inner fore one are the largest.
Dimensions.
Length, from the point of the bill to the endI nches. Lines.
of the tail . . '' . *>' ' i • 13 d
„ of the tail . ■ • ' .. 6
„ of the longest quill feather . 6 3
,, of the bill, from the angle' of the
month . . . . • * 0 7
Length of the bill measured along the ridgeInch0es. * Lines. 7
' " of the tarsus . . . . . _ . 1 10
,, of the middle toe 1 3
,, of its claw . . . . 0 4
,, of the‘hind toe . . • . 0 6
„ of its daw- . . . . 0 6 —R.
DESCRIPTION
Of a female bird, sent from Real del Monte, and now in the collection of John Taylor, Esq., F.R.S., G.S., &c.
Bill, feet, and claws, as in the male.
C olo u r .—The general aspect of the upper plilmage is grey-brown, the feathers on the
back and wing coverts being slightly margined with pale ferruginous: those on the head and
neck are white at the base and on their sides; while those on the crown are nearly black,
with pale ferruginous sides. The ground colour of all the under plumage is white, each feather
having a very lengthened and contracted tear-shaped spot down the middle: sides of the
head, or ear feathers, striped in the same manner. Throat nearly white. Thighs white,
each feather marked by a central transverse band, and a tear-shaped spot near the tip. The
longest of the upper tail coverts white, each feather having two blackish-brown bands. The
tail itself is grey, with four brown bands,—the whole of the feathers being precisely of an
equal length. Wings reaching to one-third the length of the tail. Lesser quills greyish,
banded with four somewhat lunulated blackish bands ; inner margins white ; greater quills
with six bands. The fourth and fifth quills equal and longest; the second and seventh nearly
equal. Tail and quill feathers beneath white, banded with three or four black bars.
D im en s io n s.
Inches.
Length from the bill to tbe tail, about . • _• • * . . . . H i
„ of the bill from the angle of the mouth to the tip of the upper mandible . . £
Extreme length of the wings when closed ................................................... • •
„„ ttaairls ufrso fmro tmhe t hroe outp opfe trh bea sfee aothf ethrse thoa tlhluex t tipo the . end o*f the b. one . . . 6l!‘f |
. n from the lower base of the hallux to the middle of the tarsal joint
—Sw.
* The wing of the specimen being in a state of moult, the relative lengths of all the quill feathers cannot be
ascertained.