BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA 205 



Liisca Reichenbach, Av. Syst. Nat., 1852, xxi. (Type, by original designation, 

 Fulica ardesiaca Tscliudi.) 



Lupha Reichenbach, Av. Syst. Nat., 1852, xxi. (Type, by original designation, 

 Fulica cristata Linnaeus.) 



LophopJmlaris Heine, in Heine and Reichenow, Norn. Mus. Hein. Orn., 1890, 

 317. (New name for Lupha on grounds of purism.) 



Licornis Bonapabte, Ann. Sci. Nat., ser. 4, Zool. i, 1854, 150, (Nomen nudum!) 



Lycornis Bonaparte, Compt. Rend, xliii, 1856, 600. (Tyi)e, by original desig- 

 nation, Fulica cortiuta Bonaparte.) 



Fulicinae with lateral membrane of toes conspicuously developed, 

 the segments strongly convex ; frontal shield with surface plane (but 

 more or less rounded or convex in both longitudinal and transverse 

 sections) , and claws obviously though slightly curved. 



Bill about as long as or slightly shorter than head, moderately 

 compressed, its width at posterior end of nostril equal to about two- 

 thirds its depth at same point, the latter equal to decidedly less than 

 half the length of commissure; gonys very decidedly shorter than 

 mandibular rami, straight or very slightly convex, rather strongly 

 ascending terminally, its basal angle distinct; culmen nearly 

 straight (sometimes faintly concave or depressed) for basal half 

 (approximately), gently but very distinctly decurved distally, 

 rounded, or at least not distinctly ridged; frontal shield (in adults) 

 extending backward as far as middle of eye (sometimes as far as 

 posterior angle of eye), more or less tumid (sometimes much swollen 

 and strongly convex both longitudinally and transversely), longer 

 than broad (sometimes only slightly so, however), its posterior ex- 

 tremity either convex or contracted into an obtuse angle, its suri'ace 

 either smooth or slightly corrugated; nasal fossa extending for at 

 least half the length of maxilla (from loral feathering), usually de- 

 cidedly more; nostril nearly midway between loral feathering and 

 tip of maxilla, in lower-anterior portion of nasal fossa, longitudinal 

 (nearly on line with axis of maxilla, but slightly lower posteriorly), 

 very narrowly, almost linear (pointed posteriorly). Wing rela- 

 tively short, very concave beneath; longest primaries exceeding dis- 

 tal secondaries by one-third the length of wing, or more; the second, 

 or second and third primaries longest, the first (outermost) shorter 

 than fifth. Tail a little more than one-fourth as long as wing, 

 rounded, the rectrices broad and moderately firm, 12-14 in number. 

 Tarsus less than one-third as long as wing, about as long as inner 

 toe, without claw (or shorter), moderately compressed, the acrotar- 

 sium with a continuous row of very regular, broad scutella, the planta 

 tarsi sharply ridged, with a single series of regular transverse scutella 

 (smaller than those on acrotarsium) on outer side, separated from those 

 in front by a row of longitudinal small scales, the inner side with 

 several series of small hexagonal or nearly quadrate (partly longi- 



