682 BULLETIN 5 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



primary; basal phalanx of middle toe with transverse scutella; sexes 

 alike in coloration, and young not conspicuously different from 

 adults. 



Bill relatively large, its depth at base of rhamphotheca greater 

 than its width at same point and equal to distance from anterior edge 

 of cere (in front of nostril) to tip of maxilla; culmen strongly and 

 regularly decurved from base, distincth^ ridged; gonys moderately 

 convex, ascending terminally, prominent basaliy, indistinctly ridged; 

 maxillary tomium with "tooth" prominent, preceded by a rather 

 deep concave incision; length of cere on top equal to more than one- 

 third the length (curve) of culmen. Nostril moderate, nearly cir- 

 cular. Wing long and pointed, the longest primary exceeding distal 

 secondary by decidedly less than half the length of wing; third or 

 second and third primaries (from outside) longest, the first (outer- 

 most) shorter than fourth; first and second primaries with inner 

 webs emarginated, the emargination on first between tips of sixth 

 and seventh, that on second between tips of fourth and fifth; second 

 and third primaries with outer webs slightly sinuated. Tail nearly 

 two-thirds as long as wing, distinctly rounded, the graduation equal 

 to about length of hallux (without claw), the rectrices (12) not taper- 

 ing terminally. Tarsus nearly as long as middle toe with claw, more 

 than one-sixth as long as wing, rather slender, the upper portion 

 feathered in front for about one-fourth its length, elsewhere covered 

 with small, irregularly hexagonal or roundish scales, except on inner 

 side of acrotarsium, where covered by a continuous series of large 

 subquadrate scutella; the lower portion of acrotarsium with several 

 frontal transverse scutella; outer toe, without claw, extending to, 

 but not beyond, penultimate articulation of middle toe, the inner 

 toe decidedly shorter; hallux, without claw, a little longer than basal 

 phalanx of middle toe, its claw shorter than the digit; upper surface 

 of toes with transverse scutella except at base, those of middle toe 

 practically continuous v/ith those on lower part of acrotarsium. 



Plumage and coloration. — Plumage compact but rather soft, the 

 primaries and rectrices only moderately rigid, the former with obtuse 

 tips; orbital region bare. Adults (sexes alike) plain slate-gray above 

 (darker on pileum), interrupted by a band of buff or ochraceous across 

 hindneck, the rump and upper tail coverts broadly barred with paler 

 gray, the tail broadly barred or narrowly banded with dusky and pale 

 gray or grayish white; a broad supraauricular stripe (confluent with 

 ochraceous nuchal band), lower portion of auricular region, chin, 

 throat, foreneck, and median portion of breast immaculate white, 

 more or less tinged with buff; upper portion of auricular region and a 

 "mustache" from beneath anterior portion of eye across malar region 

 to sides of throat grayish dusky; sides and flanks deep or dark slate, 



