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
Head rather small, oblong, compressed. Eyes of moderate size. Neck
of ordinary length. Body rather full. Feet rather long, slender;
tibia bare, a third part of its length; tarsus somewhat compressed,
anteriorly and posteriorly with numerous small scutella; hind toe
very small, the rest of moderate length, slender, the fourth slightly
longer than the second, the third longest; all free, broadly marginate,
flattened beneath, and with numerous scutella above. Claws small,
slightly arched, compressed, rather obtuse, that of the third toe much
larger, with the inner edge dilated.
Plumage very soft, blended on the head, neck, and lower parts, the
feathers rather distinct above. Wings very long and pointed; primaries
tapering, obtuse, the first longest, the second two-twelfths of an
inch shorter, the rest rapidly decreasing; outer secondaries slightly
incurved, inner elongated, straight and tapering, one of them extending
when the wing is closed, to an inch and a quarter from its tip. Tail
rather short, nearly even, of twelve rather broad feathers which taper
to a broad point.
Bill and feet black. Iris dark hazel. Upper part of the head and hind
neck light grey, tinged with buff, and longitudinally streaked with
dusky; fore part of back and scapulars, variegated with brownish-black
and yellowish, and each feather with several spots of the latter
and tipped with whitish; the hind part of the back, rump, and upper
tail-coverts, white, barred with black; wing-coverts ash-grey, edged
with paler. Alula and primary-coverts brownish-black, tipped with
white; primaries similar, their shafts and the outer margins of all
excepting the first three, white, the inner webs towards the base
light grey; secondaries and their coverts grey, margined with white.
Tail-feathers ash-grey tinged with brown, and narrowly edged with
white. The sides of the head, fore part of neck, breast, and abdomen,
rich brownish-orange; lower tail-coverts and feathers of the legs,
white, each of the former with a central dusky narrow-shaped or
elongated spot, axillaries white barred with dusky; lower wing-coverts
dusky with white margins.
Length to end of tail 10-1/4 inches, to end of wings 10-3/4, to end of
claws 11-1/2; extent of wings 21; wing from flexure 7; tail 2-9/12;
bill along the ridge 1-(4-1/2)/12, along the edge of lower mandible
1-(4-1/2)/12; tarsus 1-1/4; hind toe and claw 4/12; middle toe and claw
1-(1-1/2)/12. Weight 5-1/2 oz.
The female is similar to the male, but considerably larger.
Length to end of tail 10-3/4 inches. Weight 6 ounces.
In Winter. Plate CCCXV. Fig. 2.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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