OCR Text |
Show APPENDIX ( J.- BIRDS. 315 evident from the table of comparativevmeasurements. The bill, too, of the latter, although of much the same proportions, is decidedly smaller. ' As in S. arctica, the upper parts are a bright azure blue, more lustrous and deeper on the wings, rump, and tail- coverts. Thp lower parts are of a light greenish blue, excepting the lower belly and sides, abdomen, and tail- coverts, which are white. ' The white of the lower parts is clearer and extends higher up on the belly than in S. arctica, and the quills and tail- feathers are much'bluer, this colour greatly predominating over, the brown on the inner webs and inner faces of the feathers. The clove-brown shows somewhat conspicuously as a broad tip to the quills, which, besides, are very narrowly margined, terminally and internally, with whitish. The outer margins of the primaries, towards the tips, shade into greenish blue. Owing, perhaps, to the plumage npt being quite full, many of the feathers of the back and breast have grayish tips. DIMENSIONS. ' Sialia macroptera, ( Salt Lake, Male.) • 8. arctica, ( Fort Union, Male.) Total leDgth..: » 7} inches. ( Skin contracted) 6J inches. Extent 14/ V " ". Wing folded .-. 4} jv " " 4tf " Tail to insertion of middle feathers 3JV " " 2f " Depth of fork..! ff " ( Tail worn) fl " Projection of longest primary be- • yond longest secondary or tertiary, ( wing not shut close) 1 iff " Do. wing shut close 1} ljV M Longest primary beyond shortest, « ( 9th) 1|| " 1A " . Second primary longer than first, ( spurious) 3tf " ; v 2tf " ' Bill along ridge. fj " ffc " Bill, gape ft " .. \% « Tarsus , \\ " if$ " Middle toe ft " , ft " " with claw \ t " i/ jj< " Lateral toes, ( equal) f$ " * fj " " with claw. ft " .„ ft " Hind toe tf " ."....; ft « " " with claw A." ft " ( In 8. macroptera.) 1st quill spurious; 3d, longest f 2d, little shorter; 4th, rather less tnan 2d |