long, acute; primaries strong, tapering, the first longest, the rest rapidly-
graduated; secondaries very short, incurved, rounded, the inner longer.
Tail of twelve feathers, wedge-shaped, the two middle feathers extremely
elongated, narrow, and tapering.
Bill orange-red. Iris brown. Tarsi and base of toes yellow, the rest and the webs black, as are the claws. The general colour of the plumage is pale pink, or white tinged with carmine, the two middle tail feathers redder. A curved spot before the eye, and band behind it, black. A band of the same colour extends across the wing from the flexure, running narrow along the middle coverts, much enlarged on the inner secondaries and their coverts, and including the extremities of the scapulars. The outer webs, shafts, and a portion of the inner webs of the first four primary quills, are also black, and there is a spot of the same on some of the primary coverts. The shafts of the two middle tail feathers are black, excepting towards the end; and some of the long hypochondrical feathers are greyish-black in the centre. Length to end of tail 29^ inches, to end of wings 16, to end of claw 14; extent of wings 3S; wing from flexure 11^; tail 19^; bill along the ridge 2, along the edge of lower mandible 2f ; tarsus l|f ; middle toe 1 T 4 2, its claw -£|. Weight 15 oz.
Adult Female.
The female resembles the male, but is less tinged with red. The bill is yellow, the iris and feet as in the male. The tail-feathers are also less elon- gated.
Length to end of tail 26 inches, to end of wings 14^, to end of claws 13; wing from flexure 11; tail 16; extent of wings 34; bill along the ridge y|, along the edge of lower mandible 2^; tarsus |f; middle toe 1 T 4 2, its clawff. Weight 12 oz.
