of ordinary length, slender; tarsus anteriorly scutellate; lateral toes nearly equal.
Plumage blended, soft and tufty. Wings shortish, the third quill longest. Tail even, of twelve rounded feathers.
Upper mandible blackish blue, lower light blue. Iris white. Feet greyish-blue. The general colour of the upper parts is light olive, the head greener. Sides of the head, including a line above the eye, and the loral space, bright yellow. Quills, large coverts, and tail, wood-brown, the quills edged externally with greenish-yellow, the larger coverts tipped with white, forming two bands. Sides of the neck tinged with bluish-grey; the under parts greyish-white, excepting the sides, which are yellow.
Length 5 inches, extent of wings 7; bill along the ridge 5⁄12, along the gap 7⁄12.
The female scarcely differs from the male in external appearance.
The Pride of China, or Bead-tree.
Melia Azedarach, Linn. Sp. Plant, p. 550.—Decandria Monogynia, Linn. Meliæ, Juss.
Distinguished by its bipinnate shining leaves, with ferruginous dots beneath. In the south of Europe, the nuts are bored and strung by the Roman Catholics.
