004 LESTIUS I'AUASITICA. 



crural space very long and narrow, the branches convex, 

 their lower outline slightly concave, a slight prominence at 

 their junction ; the dorsal line very short, ascending, slightly 

 concave, the edges sharp and somewhat inflected ; the tip 

 narrow, sharp-edged, rather obtuse ; the gape-line nearly 

 straight until toward the end, when it becomes decurved. 



Nostrils linear-oblong, wide anteriorly, nearer the tip 

 than the base, sub-marginal, pervious. Feet rather short, 

 rather slender; tibia bare for about cight-twclflhs of an 

 inch ; tarsus compressed, anteriorly covered with broad de- 

 curvate scutella, laterally with oblong scales, posteriorly 

 with smaller oblong, prominent scales. Plind toe extremely 

 small, elevated, covered with small scales, its claw small, 

 arcuate, acute; anterior toes of moderate length, avcU curved, 

 much compressed, very acute, that of the third toe Avith a 

 sharp little expanded inner edge. 



The plumage is close, elastic, soft but rather firm, 

 blended, on the back and wings compact ; those on the 

 upper hind part and sides of the neck with their terminal 

 filaments stiffish and somewhat silky. Wings very long, 

 rather broad, pointed, with thirty quills ; the primaries 

 tapering to an obtuse point, the first longest; outer secon- 

 daries obliquely rounded, incurved, their inner web extending 

 beyond the outer ; inner secondaries elongated, broad, and 

 pointed. Tail-feathers of moderate length and alnuptly 

 rounded, except the two medial, Avhich taper gradually to a 

 narrow point, and exceed the rest by eight inches. 



The bill is greyish-black, tinged with blue above, the 

 base of the lower mandible slightly flesh-coloured. Feet and 

 claAvs black. The upper part of the head, and the space 

 between the bill and the eye, brownish-black ; the cheeks 

 and sides of the neck yellowish-white; lower hind-neck, 

 back, and wings blackish-grey ; quills and tail-feathers deep 

 brownish-black, the former with the shafts Avhite ; uj)per 

 part of neck all round and lower parts of the body white ; 

 the sides and lower tail-coverts greyish-brown. 



Length to end of tail 25 inches ; wing from flexure 12^ ; 

 tail 11 ; bill along the ridge l-fj, along the edge of lower 

 mandible l-rV» tarsus ly^; middle toe IjV, its claw jL-. 



