40 



ORNITHOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS. 



List of specimeiis collected. 



No. 89093 — Iris white. Bill salmon red ; nasal shield darker, grayish brown ; soft part along base 

 of upper tomia whitish flesh color; interior of mouth whitish. Feet bluish white, tinged with yellow; 

 on the joints a well-deflned dusky spot; webs blackish, along the toes bluish white; side of tar-sus 

 and toes, as also the nails, black. 



No. 92946.— For the color of the bill, which was more yellowish than any other .seeu before, reference 

 is made to the colored drawing pi. /, immediately made from the fresh specimen. Feet bluish gray; 

 diameter of eggs in ovary 3°"". 



Before proceeding to discuss the different changes which the bill and 

 plumage of this species are subject to, I wish to call attention to a 

 structural feature of its bill which hitherto has passed unobserved or, 

 at least, unrecorded. The reason why it has been overlooked for so 

 long a time can only be explained by considering the fact that the pe- 

 culiarity which I am going to describe is only tangible in fresh speci- 

 mens. 



Dr. Dybowski (Orn. Centrbl., 1882, p. 40) says that "in this species 

 the soft parts at the angle of the mouth are wanting altogether." This 

 is correct, if only the "rosette" is meant, which, indeed, is wanting in 

 all the Phaleridince, consequently also in the present species. But it is 

 not correct if it be understood to mean that no soft parts are situated 

 near the corner of the mouth. 



In fresh specimens there will be found at the base of the tomia of the 

 upper mandible a soft tumor of lengthened form, commencing a little 

 behind the posterior corner of the nostrils and following the tomia back- 

 wards, gradually becoming absorbed into the soft membrane lining the 

 corner of the mouth. It occupies the space between the nasal shield and 

 the tomium, and has a slight depression on the upper surface, which, 



