BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA 



99 



long as wing; strongly graduated; the rectrices with extremely 

 sparsely barbed webs. Tarsus slightly less than half as long as 

 wing, about equal to exposed culmen and to middle toe without claw ; 

 stout for its length ; the acrotarsium with a continuous single row of 

 broad scutella, the planta tarsi with a single row of similar^ but 

 smaller, scutella on the outer side, basally and distally, but not 

 medially, separated from those of the acrotarsium by a single row 



Figure 4. — Cyanolimnas cerverai. Natural size. 



of smaller, hexagonal scutella on the outer side, the inner side with 

 smaller, irregular, much smaller scales; the outer toe with claw 

 reaching to the base of the claw of the middle toe ; the inner toe about 

 the same as the outer one ; hallux without claw about as long as basal 

 phalanx of outer toe, or, with claw, as long as basal phalanx of 

 middle toe; anterior toes without a marginal membrane along each 

 side (present in gallinules, to which this bird bears a slight superficial 

 resemblance). 



Plumage and coloration. — Plumage rather loose, denser below 

 than above; remiges and rectrices weak. Above, olive-brown; sides 



