slightly truncated and cuneate at the tip ; mandibles of equal length,
both nearly straight in their dorsal outline, their sides convex, excepting at the base. Nostrils basal, lateral, elliptical, open, covered by the feathers, and having a sharp ridge passing over them to the edge of the bill near the middle. Head of moderate size, neck rather short, body rather ro-
bust. Feet ratlier short ; tarsus compressed, anteriorly scutellate, late-
rally covered with hexagonal scales, sharp behind ; two toes before, unit-
ed as far as the second joint ; two behind, the first very small, the second
equal in length to the third, claws strong, much curved, compressed,
with a short deep groove on each side, very acute.
Plumage soft, rather blended, slightly glossed, that of the head shining. Wings long, the first quill extremely small, fourth longest, third nearly equal, second shorter than fifth; secondaries slightly emarginate. Tail of ordinary length, cuneate, of ten pointed feathers, having very short shafts.
Bill brownish-black. Iris brown. Feet greyish-blue. Forehead and crown, chin and sides of the throat blood-red, the two patches margined with greenish-black, of which colour is a broad band on the occiput, and a large space on the lower neck and fore part of the breast, a broad band of white from the eye margining tlie back of the occiput; another from the base of the upper inaudible down the side of the neck, the interspace black. Scapulars black, tinged with green. Wing-coverts and quills black, the first row of smaller coverts white, excepting at the base, those of the outer secondary coverts are white on the outer webs, and the quills, excepting the first, are spotted on the outer and inner edges, and more or less tipped with the same. The back is variegated with black and brownish-white. Tail-feathers black, the outer margined with white towards the tip, the two inner spotted with white on the inner web. Middle of the breast yellow, sides dusky yellow, variegated with brownish-black.
Length 8 J inches, extent of wings 15 ; bill along the ridge |§, along the edge 1^^^ ; tarsus i^.
Adult Female. Plate CXC. Fig. 2.
The female resembles the male, but the throat is white, and the yellow of the lower parts less pure.
The Wild Almond.
This plant has already been noticed at p. 340. of the present volume.
