480 LESTRIS CATARRACTES. 



vex, much decurved, thin-edged, rather obtuse ; the lower 

 mandible -with the intercrural space long and narrow, the 

 branches broad, erect, with an obliquely-ascending groove, 

 and two ridges, their lower outline straight, the angle little 

 prominent, the dorsal line ascending, straight, or very slightly 

 convex, the edges sharp and inflected, the tip compressed, 

 obtuse, thin-edged ; the gape-line straight, at the end de- 

 curved. 



The nostrils are linear- oblong, much wider anteriorly, 

 five-twelfths long. Eyes rather small ; eyelids feathered, 

 Avith a bare crenulate margin. Feet of moderate length, 

 rather stout ; tibia bare for an inch ; tarsus moderately com- 

 pressed, Avith eighteen decurved scutella ; the lateral and 

 posterior scales small, roundish, convex, so as to be rough to 

 the touch, especially those behind. The hind toe is elevated, 

 very small, covered with scales, its claAv rather large, com- 

 pressed, acute, arcuate; anterior toes rather long, slender, 

 the inner much shorter than the outer, and having twenty- 

 two scutella, the middle toe Avitli thirty-two, the outer witli 

 twenty-eight ; the lateral toes margined externally Avith small 

 prominent scales. The interdigital webs are nearly straight 

 anteriorly, the inner a little conA'ex. The claw of the inner 

 toe is strong, compressed, acuminate, extremely curved ; that 

 of the middle toe less curved, and Avith its inner edge 

 expanded ; that of the outer toe much smaller, compressed, 

 acute, and much curA'cd. 



The plumage is full, close, firm, and elastic, on the back 

 and Avings compact ; the feathers ovate, those on the neck 

 taper -pointed, Avith their terminal filaments stiflish, and 

 somcAvhat silky. Wings very long, rather broad, pointed, 

 and reaching almost to the end of the tail; the primaries rather 

 broad, and tapering to a rounded point, the first longest, the 

 second half an inch shorter, the rest rapidly decreasing ; the 

 outer secondaries incurved, broad, and rounded, the inner 

 elongated and more narroAvly rounded. The tail is of mode- 

 rate length, of twelve rather broad abruptly rounded feathers, 

 of which the outer are three-fourths of an inch shorter than 

 those next the middle, Avhich are also broadly rounded, and 

 project nearly an inch. 



