640 CHENALOPEX ^EGYPTIACUS. 



nearly erect at the base, then sloping, a little concave about 

 the middle, convex toward the end, the margins soft, con- 

 cealing their lamella?, their outline nearly straight, the nasal 

 sinus oblong, sub-basal near the ridge ; the lower mandible 

 straight, with the intercrural space long and of moderate 

 width, the edges a little inclinate, with little elevated exter- 

 nal lamellae, the unguis broad, roundish, little convex. 



Internally the upper mandible is broadly concave, and 

 covered with small scattered papilla?, with a medial papillate 

 ridge, and on each side a series of small depressed lamella?, 

 separated by a slight groove from the lateral lamella?, which 

 are oblique, little elevated, flattened, curved, and tapering 

 toward the outer end, which is thin and not prominent, their 

 numbers about forty-five. The marginal lamella? of the lower 

 mandible very small, about sixty, the outer nearly forty. 



The nostrils are elliptical, sub-medial, two-twelfths and a 

 half long. The aperture of the eye four-twelfths. The feet 

 are strong ; the tibia bare for nearly an inch ; the tarsus a 

 little compressed, with sub-hexagonal scales, and an anterior 

 series of larger scales, hardly, however, deserving the name of 

 scutella. The hind toe is small, elevated, with five scutella, 

 and an inferior thick lobe ; the anterior toes rather long, the 

 inner with twelve scutella, the middle toe with thirty, extend- 

 ing almost to the base, the outer with twenty-three ; both it 

 and the inner being scaly toward the base ; the interdigital 

 membranes a little emarginate, that of the inner toe narrow. 

 The claws are short and stout ; that of the hind toe nearly 

 straight and blunt, the rest a little arched, the lateral obtuse, 

 that of the middle toe considerably dilated and rounded. 



The plumage is full, soft, and elastic ; on the head short 

 and imbricated ; on the upper-neck short and blended, the 

 feathers narrow ; those on the lower neck all round, the 

 breast, and the rest of the lower parts soft and blended, and 

 as well as those on the fore part of the back ovate and rounded, 

 but on the rest of the back short and imbricated. The wings 

 are of ordinary length, broad, and rather pointed ; the prima- 

 ries ten, slightly curved, tapering, but rounded ; the secon- 

 daries sixteen, broad, rounded, the outer curved inwards ; the 

 second quill longest, the third scarcely shorter, the first 



