GAMA. MEW. 583 



oblong, with the lateral muscles rather thick, the tendons 

 large, the epithelium thick, horny, and having very promi- 

 nent longitudinal rugae, its upper margin abrupt. Intestine 

 of moderate length and very narrow ; coeca extremely small, 

 cylindrical ; rectum short, with a large globular dilatation. 



Eyes rather small ; eyelids feathered, with bare, crenu- 

 late margins. Aperture of ear of moderate size, roundish. 

 Legs of moderate length, rather slender ; tibia bare for one- 

 third ; tarsus rather short, compressed, anteriorly covered 

 with numerous curved scutella, laterally with angular scales, 

 behind with numerous small rectangular scales. Hind toe 

 very small and elevated ; fore toes of moderate length, 

 slender, the fourth a little shorter than the third, and about 

 a fifth longer than the second, all with numerous scutella, 

 and connected by reticulated membranes, of which the an- 

 terior edge is concave ; the lateral toes margined externally 

 by a thick scaly membrane, the soles flat and granulated. 

 Claws small, slightly arched, compressed, rather acute, that 

 of the middle toe with an expanded thin inner margin. 



Plumage full, close, soft, and blended ; on the back and 

 wings rather compact. Feathers generally oblong or ellip- 

 tical and rounded, on the fore part of the head short. Wings 

 very long, rather narrow, pointed, with thirty quills ; the 

 primaries nearly straight, tapering, obtuse, the first and 

 second longest, the rest rapidly gi-aduated, the secondaries 

 broad and rounded. Tail of moderate length, even or emar- 

 ginate, of twelve broad, abruptly rounded feathers. 



The Sea-Mews are of moderate or small size, in form 

 differing little from the Gulls, but more slender. The bill 

 especially differs in being almost always slender, much com- 

 pressed, pointed, sometimes smaller than in the genus 

 Sterna. They swim with considerable celerity; sit very 

 lightly on the w ater ; have a very light, buoyant, wavering, 

 flight, performed by rather quick beats of their long ex- 

 tended, arched wings ; walk quickly and run with ease. 

 Being incapable of diving, they pick up their food from the 

 water, dipping for it, but seldom so as to immerse more than 

 the head. It consists chiefly of small fishes ; but they also 

 eat Crustacea, mollusca, asteria), larvse, worms, and insects. 



