Head large, oblong, flattened above. Eyes of moderate size. Neck short and thick. Body large and much depressed. Feet short, placed rather far behind; tarsus very short, compressed, having anteriorly in its whole length a series of small scutella, and above the outer toe a partial series, the rest covered with reticular angular scales. Hind toe small, with a free membrane beneath; anterior toes nearly double the length of the tarsus, connected by reticulated membranes having a sinus on their free margins, the inner with a lobed marginal membrane, the outer with a thick margin, the third and fourth about equal and longest. Claws small, that of the first toe very small and curved, of the middle toe largest, with a dilated inner edge, of the rest slender, all rather obtuse. Plumage soft, dense, blended, and glossy. Feathers on the head and neck of a velvety texture. Wings rather short, narrow, and pointed; primary quills curved, strong, tapering, and pointed, the first longest, the second little shorter, the rest rapidly graduated; secondaries broad and rounded, the inner elongated and tapering. Tail very short, narrow, wedge-shaped, of fourteen stiff, narrow, pointed feathers. Upper mandible with a nearly square black patch at the base, margined with orange, unless in front, where there is a patch of bluish-white extending to near the nostrils, prominent part over the nostrils deep reddish-orange, becoming lighter towards the unguis, and shaded into rich yellow towards the margins; the unguis dingy greyish-yellow; lower mandible flesh-coloured, unguis darker. Iris bright yellowish-white. Tarsi and toes orange-red, the webs dusky tinged with green; claws black. The plumage is of a deep black, glossed with blue. On the top of the head, between the eyes, is a roundish patch of white, and on the nape a larger patch of an elongated form. Length to end of tail 20 inches, to end of wings 18, to end of claws 22; extent of wings 33-1/2; bill from the angle in front 1-1/2; from the prominence at the base 2-1/2; along the edge of lower mandible 2-5/12; wing from flexure 9-3/4; tail 3-3/4; tarsus 1-7/12; first toe and claw 11/12; outer toe, and claw 2-1/4; middle, toe and claw, (1/2)/12 longer. Weight 2 lb. 7 oz. Adult Female. Plate CCCXVII. Fig. 2. Bill greenish-black; iris as in the male; feet yellowish-orange, webs greyish-dusky, claws black. The general colour of the plumage is brownish-black; darker on the top of the head, the back, wings, and tail; on the breast and sides the feathers edged with dull greyish-white. Length to end of tail 19 inches, to end of wings 15-3/4, to end of claws 18; extent of wings 31-1/2; wing from flexure 8-3/4; tarsus 1-5/8; middle toe 2-3/4, hind toe 9/12. Weight 2 lb. 2 oz.