458 



PLECTROPHANES. LARK-BUNTING. 



Bill short, strong, subpentagonal, and about as broad as 

 deep at the base, conical, somewhat compressed towards the 

 end. Upper mandible smaller and narrower, its dorsal outline 

 slightly convex, the ridge rounded, the sides convex, the edges 

 sharp and slightly inflected, the tip direct. Lower mandible 

 with the angle very short, broad, and rounded, the dorsal out- 

 line slightly convex, the back rounded, the sides convex, the 

 edges sharp and very much inflected. Gape-line ascending 

 obliquely at first, then direct. 



The mouth is rather narrow^ ; the upper mandible internally 

 has a sudden bend about the middle, anterior to which is a 

 narrow knob, flattened towards the end, with three prominent 

 lines and four grooves ; the low^er mandible very deeply con- 

 cave. The tongue is sagittate and denticulate at the base, 

 fleshy, compressed, and terminates in two short bristly points. 

 The oesophagus is of moderate width, dilated about the middle ; 

 the proventriculus oblong. Gizzard roundish, compressed, with 

 very strong lateral muscles, a prominent inferior muscle, and 

 dense, tough, and rugous epithelium. Intestine of moderate 

 length, wdder in its duodenal portion, and having two very 

 small coeca near its extremity. 



Nostrils oblong, in the low^er and fore part of the short nasal 

 depression, and having a horny arched operculum. Eyes of 

 moderate size ; eyelids feathered. Aperture of ear broadly el- 

 liptical, rather large. 



Body moderately stout ; neck short ; head of moderate size. 

 Legs rather short ; tarsus compressed, covered anteriorly with 



