704 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



g. Tarsus much shorter than middle toe without claw (scarcely longer 

 than first two phalanges of middle toe); tail little if any more than 

 one-fourth as long as wing; primaries relatiA-ely longer, the longest 

 exceeding distal secondaries by decidedly more than half the length 



of wing; rectrices 14 Brachyramphus (p. 745). 



gg. Tarsus as long as or longer than middle toe without claw; tail 

 decidedly more than one-fourth (about three-sevenths) as long as 

 wing; a primaries relatively shorter, the longest exceeding distal 

 secondaries by little if any more than half the length of wing; 



rectrices 12 Endomychura (p. 751) 



ff. Acrotarsium transversely scutellate; outer toe longer than middle toe 

 and inner toe longer than first two phalanges of middle toe; bill 

 thicker (vertically), its depth at anterior end of nostril equal to length 

 of gonys; mandibular rami extensively unfeathered, the naked por- 

 tion about as long as gonys. {Synthliboramph(<v .) b 



Synthliboramphus (p. 755). 



dd. Gonys longer than distance from its base to rictus; bill more complex in 



form, larger or stouter, usually (always?) ^vith deciduous accessory pieces;'' 



latero-frontal feathering not advancing as far as middle of nostril, which, 



together with its conspicuous operculum, is wholly exposed. (Phalerese.) 



e. Smaller (wing not more than 155 mm.): retrices, 14; acrotarsium wholly 



reticulate; bill relatively smaller and broader, its length from posterior 



end of nostril much less than length of tarsus ; maxillary tomium straight 



or convex, mandibular tomium straight or concave; longet primaries 



exceeding distal secondaries by less than half the length of wing 



/. Bill depressed basally, its width at base decidedly greater than its depth 



at same point; distance from posterior end of nostril to tip of maxilla 



much more than half the length of tarsus; head without plumes. 



Ptychoramphus (p. 760). 

 ff. Bill not depressed basally, its width at base less than its depth at same 

 point; distance from posterior end of nostril to tip of maxilla less than 

 half the length of tarsus; head with ornamental plumes. 



o The tail is not really longer than in Brachyramphus, but on account of shorter 

 primaries is longer in proportion to length of the wing. 



b 41though Dr. Stejneger suggests (Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., no. 29, 1885, 24, 25) that 

 Synthliboramphus "seems to be nearer related to the Phaleridex than to the Uriinas" 

 (i. e., the Cepphex-\-Brachyrainphe3S of this arrangement), I am unable to find charac- 

 ters which would allow me to place it with that group. WTiile possibly more nearly 

 related to the Phalerex than to the Brachyramphex, Synthliboramphus possesses so 

 many unique characters that it seems best to consider it as representing a distinct 

 group. Apart from the regularly scutellate acrotarsium (a character not shared by 

 any of the Phalerex), Synthliboramphus is the only genus in the family which has the 

 outer toe (without claw) longer than the middle toe, and the inner toe longer than the 

 first two phalanges of middle toe. Its style of coloration is also quite unique. 



c It has not yet been demonstrated so far as I know that Ptychoramphus agrees with 

 other Phalereae in possessing deciduous pieces on the basal portion of the bill; but I 

 am inclined to believe that the linear infra-nasal piece and lateral prominence near 

 middle of the mandible may be deciduous or at least scale off after the breeding 

 aeason. Concerning this subject, see the following: Bureau, in Bull. Soc. Zool. 

 France, 1879, 1-68, pis. 1-6; Ridgway, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, v. 1880, 126, 127; Coues, 

 Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, v. 1880, 127, 128; Stejneger, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., no. 29, 

 1885, 28, 33, 34, 40-42, 48, 54, pis. 1, 3, 4, 5. The last-mentioned is especially im- 

 portant. 



