COMMON NODDY. 673 



long, very slender, tapering to the point, which is horny. 

 Q3sophagus extremely thin, two-thirds of an inch wide, 

 dilated within the thorax to an inch and two-twelfths ; its 

 length four inches and a half. The stomach small, being 

 only ten-tAvelfths long, and eight-twelfths in breadth, thin, 

 with strong, longitudinally rugous bright-red epithelium. 

 Intestine thirteen inches and a half long, narrow, from three- 

 twelfths to a twelfth and a half in breadth ; cceca very small, 

 being two-twelfths and a half in length, and about half a 

 twelfth in breadth; cloaca large, ovate. 



Nostrils linear-oblong, pervious, four-twelfths long, their 

 anterior extremity about the middle of the length of the bill, 

 the groove continued to the edge about half way to the tip. 

 Legs very short ; tibia bare for half an inch ; tarsus with 

 seventeen transversely elongated scutella ; anterior toes longer 

 than the tarsus, their webs full, but the inner with a concave 

 margin ; claws, moderate, arched, compressed, acute, that of 

 the middle toe with a thin dilated inner edge. 



Plumage soft and blended, the feathers broad and rounded, 

 with small plumules. Wings very long, narrow, and pointed; 

 primary quills tapering, but rounded, the first longest ; secon- 

 daries short, broad, incurvate, obliquely tipped, the inner 

 web extending beyond the outer. Tail long, cuneate, of 

 twelve tapering, obtuse feathers. 



Bill black. " Iris brown." Feet dull reddish-brown, the 

 webs dusky, the claws black. The general colour of the 

 plumage is sooty-brown, becoming blackish-brown on the 

 tail and primary quills, which in some lights are glossed with 

 purple. The upper part of the head anteriorly white, shaded 

 behind into ash-grey ; the sides of the head, the throat, and 

 part of the neck, strongly tinged with grey ; a triangular 

 greyish-black spot before the eye, a very small spot of the 

 same behind. 



Length to end of tail 16 inches ; extent of wings 33 ; 

 wing from flexure ll^^ ; tail5i; bill along the ridge l^, 

 along the edge of lower mandible 2^ ; tarsus if ; middle 

 toe i-fj, its claw -^. 



Female. — Similar to the male. 



VOL. V. 2 X 



