Ornithological biography, Vol. 4 (of 5) : $b An account of the habits of the birds of the United States of AmericaAudubon, John James
Science
Ornithological biography, Vol. 4 (of 5) : $b An account of the habits of the birds of the United States of America
Audubon, John James
Birds -- North America
Bill and feet, as well as the margin of eyelids, and the inside of the
mouth, of a rich deep carmine; claws brownish-black. Iris bluish-black.
The head and a portion of the upper part of the neck all round,
blackish lead-grey, darker on the upper part of the head and along the
posterior margin, which descends lower in front, or to the extent of
about two inches and a half from the base of the lower mandible; two
narrow white bands bordering the upper and lower eyelids. Lower neck
all round, the whole lower surface, the rump and tail, pure white;
but the fore part of the neck and the breast, down to the legs, of a
beautiful light rosy tint. The back and wings are greyish-blue, with
a very slight tinge of purple, excepting a large terminal portion of
the secondaries, and the tips of the primaries, which are white. The
first primary is black, with a tinge of grey on the inner web at the
base; the second and third similar, with the grey more extended; on the
fourth it extends over two-thirds; the fifth is black only for an inch
and a half; and on the sixth the black is reduced to two spots near the
end; the other parts and the remaining primaries of the same general
colour as the back.
Length to end of tail 17 inches, to end of wings 20, to end of claws
17; extent of wings 40-3/4; wing from flexure 12-10/12; tail 5-2/12;
bill along the ridge 1-11/12, along the edge of lower mandible 2-1/4;
tarsus 2; hind toe and claw 4/12; middle toe and claw 1-9/12; outer toe
and claw 1-1/2; inner toe and claw 1-3/12.
The female is precisely similar to the male, but considerably smaller.
In winter the head is white, the feathers on its upper part and on the
nape more or less brownish-grey in their concealed part, that colour
appearing in slight patches here and there, and especially along the
posterior margin of the part that is coloured in summer, as well as on
a small space before the eye. The rosy tint of the breast disappears
after the breeding season. In other respects the plumage is as in
summer.
Young fully fledged. Plate CCCXIV. Fig. 2.
Bill, feet, inside of mouth, and edges of eyelids, olivaceous brown.
The upper parts are brownish-grey, the feathers edged with paler; the
hind part of the back light bluish-grey; upper tail-coverts nearly
white; tail pale greyish-blue, with a broad band of brownish-black at
the end, the extreme tips narrowly edged with white, the outer margin
of the lateral feathers of the same colour. The first four primaries
are destitute of white at the tip. A smaller patch before the eye,
two slight bands on the eyelids, and the throat, greyish-white; the
lower part of the neck brownish-grey, the rest of the lower parts
greyish-white, the sides darker, the axillars ash-grey, the lower
surface of the wing dusky-grey.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account