272 Mr. Swainson on the 



This very singular species is in a slight degree larger than the 

 last ; and is particularly remarkable for a series of small but very 

 acute spines, seven or eight in number, resembling the teeth of a 

 saw, which are placed at the back of the tarsi, immediately 

 adjoining the knee ; from this part they gradually diminish in 

 size, and unite to a series of small scales which extend to the 

 base of the tarsi. In other respects, I can discover nothing in the 

 structure of the bird which would justify me in detaching it from 

 its present congeners. 



The bill is black, and equal in size to that of T. crinitus ; but the 

 sides are more compressed, and the tip more hooked ; the bristles which 

 surround it are also longer. The colour of the whole bird is a dull olive 

 gray, paler beneath, and tinged on the body with dirty yellow. The 

 wing's are moderate, the primary quills not emarginate, and the tail as 

 even. The tarsi are short, weak, and blackish ,* and the claws small. 



I met with three specimens of this bird in the province of 

 Bahia in Brazil ; it appeared of rare occurrence, and I am totally 

 unacquainted with its habits. 



Total length 8, bill 1 T V, wings 8f , tail 3j, tarsi -&. 



Section II. 



Hostrum mediocre. 



Alse longae, remigum pogoniis internis emarginatis. 



Cauda mediocris, fere aequalis. 



Tarsi breves. 



The character which more particularly belongs to the birds of 

 this section, is the emargination or sudden contraction in the 

 breadth of the inner web of several of the primary quills ; and 

 which, in some species, is so considerable, as to give these 

 feathers an appearance of being pointed ; a similar construction, 

 though in general less developed, is observed to characterize the 

 true falcons, and in all probability has a reference to those supe- 

 rior powers of flight for which both these groups are remarkable. 

 The tail, though sometimes slightly forked, is generally even ; 

 while the bill, without being particularly large, is yet compa- 

 ratively strong ; and the upper mandible still preserves the convex 

 form, so conspicuous in the last group. 



