Page:Ornithological biography, or an account of the habits of the birds of the United States of America, vol 2.djvu/395

Rh of the neck ; and a band of splendent feathers extends over the back and sides of the neck, having bright purple and greenish reflections.

Length 11 ^ inches ; extent of wings 18^ ; bill along the back^'g, along the edges ^^ ; tarsus i^.

Adult Female. Plate CLXII. Fig. 2.

The female can scarcely be distinguished from the male, the colour- ing being but slightly fainter.

Length 10^ inches.

PoRCELiA PAaviFLOEA, Pursh, Fl. Amcr. Sept. voL iL p. 383.

This plant is very abundant on many of the outer Keys of the Floridas. It grows among other shrubs, seldom exceeding seven or eight feet in height, and more frequently not more than four or five. The leaves are obovate, rounded at the base, thick, glossy above, downy beneath. The outer petals are larger, and not unlike the divided shell of a hickory or pig nut ; the inner ovate, deep purple, with a white band at the base. I did not see the fruit, which I was told is not unpalatable when ripe, it being then about the size of a common walnut, and of a black colour.