186 CLANGULA ALBEOLA. 



rather >vide but pointed, the basal angles short and acute, 

 the dorsal line straight and sloping to beyond the middle, 

 then nearly direct, and finally decurved on the unguis, which 

 is oblong, decurved, and strong-edged ; the ridge broad and 

 flat at the base, gradually narrowed, toward the end convex, 

 the sides erect at the base, gradually sloped and convex, the 

 edges soft, marginate, projecting a little beyond the lamellae, 

 of which there are about thirty-five ; the nasal sinus large, 

 elliptical, submedial, close to the ridge ; the lower mandible 

 with the intercrural space very long, of moderate Avidth, and 

 bare ; the edges with about forty external and fifty upper 

 lamellae ; the unguis broadly elliptical. 



The nostrils are linear, pervious, two-twelfths long, 

 medial ; the eyes of moderate size. The legs very short, 

 and placed rather far back ; the tibia bare to a very small 

 extent ; the tarsus compressed, reticulate, but having ante- 

 rioi'ly in its whole length a series of small scutella, and 

 above the outer toe a few broad scales. Hind toe very small, 

 with a thick lobiform membrane ; anterior toes long, the 

 inner with a two-lobed marginal membrane ; the third and 

 fourth about equal and nearly double the length of the 

 tarsus ; the interdigital membranes with a sinus on their 

 free margin. The claws are small, slender, compressed, little 

 arched, obtuse, that of the third toe with the inner edge a 

 little dilated. 



The plumage is dense, soft, and blended. The feathers 

 on the fore part of the head very small and rounded, on the 

 upper and hind parts linear and elongated, as they also are 

 on the lateral and hind parts of the upper neck, so that 

 when raised they give the head an extremely tumid appear- 

 ance ; on the fore part and middle of the neck short ; on the 

 body moderate, oblong, and rounded ; on the sides elongated 

 and pointed ; the scapulars also long, but obtuse. Wings 

 very small, decurved, pointed ; the outer primaries pointed, 

 the first longest, the rest rapidly graduated ; the secondaries 

 incurved, obliquely rounded, the inner much elongated and 

 pointed. The tail is short, graduated, of sixteen stiffish 

 feathers. 



Bill light gi-eyish-blue. Feet pale flesh-colour, with the 



