400 SIBILATRIX LOCUSTELLA. 



base, convex and compressed towards the end, the edges some- 

 what inflected towards the end, the notch shght, the tip very 

 narrow ; the lower mandible straight, its angle narrow, the 

 sides at first sloping a little outwards, afterwards convex, the 

 edges inflected, and the tip acute. The nostrils are linear- 

 oblong, a little more than a twelfth of an inch long. The feet 

 are very slender ; the tarsus and toes extremely compressed, 

 the former with eight distinct scutella, the hind toe stout, with 

 six scutella, the second with eight, the third with ten, the 

 fourth with nine. The claws are rather long, arched, extreme- 

 ly compressed, and very acute ; the tip of that of the hind toe 

 does not reach beyond the base of that of the middle toe. 



The plumage is blended, the feathers ovate and rounded ; 

 the bristle-feathers at the base of the upper mandible not dis- 

 tinguishable. The wings are of moderate length, a little con- 

 cave, with nineteen rounded quills ; the first very small, being 

 about a fourth of the length of the second, the third longest, 

 but the second and fourth almost as long. The tail is long, 

 and much rounded or cuneate. 



The bill is dusky brown above, the lower mandible pale 

 yellow, its extremity broMni. The iris brown ; the feet and 

 claws pale brownish-yellow. The general colour of the upper 

 parts is dull olive brown, slightly tinged with yellow, each 

 feather with its central part dusky, the dark markings much 

 paler on the rump and upper tail-coverts. The feathers of the 

 wings and tail are dark greyish-brown, edged with reddish- 

 brown. The lower parts in general are pale yellowish-brown ; 

 the throat whitish, the fore-neck with a few inconspicuous 

 brown lines, the abdomen paler, the feathers of the sides, and 

 the lower tail-coverts pale yellowish-brown, with a central 

 brown mark ; the lower wing-coverts light yellowish-grey. 

 The feathers of the tail are marked with numerous obscure 

 transverse bands, depending upon a difference of texture, being 

 obliterated in certain lights. 



Length to end of tail 5 1^2 inches ; extent of wings 7 5 ; 

 wing from flexure 2i ; tail 2/;^ ; shortest tail-feather ^^^ of 

 an inch shorter than the longest ; bill along the ridge 4^ 

 twelfths, along the edge of lower mandible 6^ twelfths ; tar- 



