254 NUMENIUS PHJEOPUS. 



thirds of its length. The fore toes are webbed as far as the 

 second joint, the outer web largest; the hind toe small, the 

 anterior rather short ; all scutellate. The claws small, 

 slender, arched, compressed, rather obtuse. 



The plumage is soft, on the sides of the head and on the 

 neck blended, on the fore part of the back oblong, on its 

 hind part small, on the lower parts rather blended and 

 oblong. The wings are very long, narrow, and pointed ; 

 the quills twenty-eight ; the first longest, the other primaries 

 rapidly decreasing; the secondaries a little incurved, some 

 of the inner much elongated and tapering. The tail of 

 moderate length, rounded, of twelve acuminate feathers, the 

 two middle considerably longer. 



The bill is black, excepting the base of the lower man- 

 dible, which is pale brown. The iris brown. The feet light 

 greyish-blue, the claws black. The upper part of the head 

 from the bill to the occiput is dark brown, with a medial 

 streak of brownish-white variegated with dusky, and on each 

 side a streak of the same passing over the eye to the occiput ; 

 the lore dusky brown, the eyelids and chin whitish ; the 

 sides of the head, and the neck all round, greyish-white, 

 streaked with brown ; the breast and sides brownish-white, 

 the former with longitudinal the latter with transverse dusky 

 streaks, which gradually diminish, leaving the middle of the 

 breast and the abdomen white ; the lower wing-coverts white, 

 barred with dusky ; the lower tail-coverts with a medial 

 brown streak and bars. The feathers of the fore part of the 

 back, the scapulars, and wing-coverts, are dusky, marginally 

 spotted with brownish-white ; the primary coverts dusky, 

 excepting the first tipped with white; secondary coverts dusky, 

 marginally spotted with white ; quills dusky, spotted along 

 both margins Avith white, excepting the outer five, which are 

 so marked on their inner edges only, and the inner elongated 

 secondaries, which have no spots on their inner webs. The 

 rump is white ; the tail-coverts white, spotted and barred 

 with dusky ; the tail-feathers brownish-white, or pale green- 

 ish-brown barred with dusky, and tipped with white, the 

 outer feather on each side edged with pure white. 



Length to end of tail 17 inches ; extent of wings 30 ; 



