The male has the entire plumage glossy greenish black; lateral
tail-feathers, except the external web of the outer one, crossed by a
broad band of fine scarlet; irides dark blackish brown; bill bluish
lead-colour, becoming much paler on the under side of the lower
mandible; feet brownish black, with a leaden tinge.
The female has the upper surface similar to, but not so rich as, that of
the male, and has an irregularly shaped spot of yellowish white near the
tip of each of the feathers of the head, crest, cheeks and wing-coverts;
the under surface brownish black, crossed by numerous narrow irregular
bars of dull sulphur-yellow; the under tail-coverts crossed by several
irregular bars of mingled yellow and dull scarlet; the lateral
tail-feathers dull scarlet, fading into yellow on the base of the inner
webs, and crossed by numerous irregular bars of black, which are narrow
at the base of the feathers and gradually increase in breadth towards
the tip.
The Plate represents the two sexes about two-thirds of the natural size.
[Illustration: