416 BULLETIN 5 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



on either acrotarsium or planta tarsi, and with a short nuchal crest of 

 cuneate feathers. 



Bill rather stout, compressed, its depth at anterior margin of cere 

 about tuice its width at same point; culmen gradually decurved from 

 base, decidedly longer than claw of hallux, the maxillary unguis 

 moderately produced and acute; maxillary tomium slighth^- but dis- 

 tinctly convex ("festooned") behind the unguinal concavity, but not 

 ascending proximally; gonys slightly convex, slightly ascending ter- 

 minally, about half as long as culmen; top of cere broad, slightly 

 arched, much higher at base, about half as long as culmen; latero- 

 anterior margin of cere slightly but distinctly convex, with lower end 

 decidedly posterior to upper. Nostril relatively large, nearly circular, 

 placed well back from anterior margin of cere. Wing moderate, 

 with secondaries relatively long and broad, the longest primary 

 exceeding distal secondar}'- by between one-third and one-fourth the 

 length of wing; fourth and fifth primaries longest, the sixth longer 

 than third, the first (outermost) about equal to eighth; inner webs 

 of six or seven outer primaries rather deeply sinuated. Tail about 

 half as long as wing, its tip truncate or slightly emarginate, the 

 rectrices (12) relatively broad, with broadly rounded tips, slightly 

 subacuminate in median portion. Tarsi stout, a little less than one- 

 fourth as long as wing, for greater part covered with rough, irregularly 

 hexagonal scales, but several (about 6-8) large broad transverse 

 scutella on middle portion of acrotarsium, and with the scales on 

 middle portion of planta tarsi much larger, though scarcely trans- 

 verse; middle toe a little less than half as long as tarsus, its claw about 

 half as long as the digit; lateral toes about equal in length, their ends 

 reaching to or slightly beyond middle of third phalanx of middle toe; 

 hallux much shorter than lateral toes, its claw nearly as long as the 

 digit; claws relatively small, not strongly curved, moderately acute, 

 moderately graduated in size. 



Plumage and coloration. — Plumage full and compact though rather 

 soft, the contour feathers distinctly outlined; secondaries very long 

 and broad, the longer proximal ones reaching to much beyond tip of 

 outermost primary (in closed wing) ; feathers of occiput and nape sub- 

 lanceolate, longer on nape, where forming a short, pointed nuchal 

 crest; loral region nude, but with sparse bristles, these larger below, 

 where overhanging rictus, and on cere, where strongly recurved; 

 plumage of thighs rather short, forming moderately well developed 

 "pantalettes." 



Adults .—F\?im deep slate-gray to blackish slate, becoming black 

 or slate-black on primaries and tail, the latter crossed near middle by a 

 broad band of white mottled with gray and (as are also the longer 

 upper tail-coverts) narrowly tipped with the same. 



