348 ACCIPITER NISUS. 



about three twelfths in diameter, the inner surface smooth. 

 The pylorus is very narrow, and has three valvular protuber- 

 ances. The intestine is two feet six inches long, three-twelfths 

 in width in the duodenal portion, its smallest diameter two 

 twelfths ; the coeca very small, being only two twelfths in 

 length, three and a half inches distant from the extremity. 

 The rectum, at first three twelfths in width, dilates toward the 

 end so as to have a diameter of one inch. 



The eyes are large, the eyelids margined with ciliary bristles, 

 the lachrymal ridge prominent. The nostrils are rather large, 

 oblique, oblong, broader behind. The aperture of the ear 

 roundish, and rather large. The tarsi, which are feathered 

 anteriorly for nearly a third of their length, are rather long, 

 very slender, compressed, narrower before than behind, with 

 an anterior elongated plate, obscurely marked with eighteen 

 scutella, the sides with hexagonal scales, as is the hind part, 

 on which they are much larger. The toes are very slender ; 

 the first short, the second stouter and somewhat longer, the 

 third very long, and connected by a basal web with the fourth, 

 which is longer than the second. On the first toe are nine 

 scutella, on the second fourteen, on the third twenty-eight, on 

 the fourth eighteen and several basal scales. The claws are 

 well curved, compressed, laterally grooved, finely acuminate, 

 the first and second largest and about equal. 



The plumage is moderately full, soft, on the upper parts 

 rather compact, on the lower blended. The loral space is co- 

 vered with bristle-pointed feathers curving upwards. The 

 wings are rather long, broad, m.uch rounded ; the fourth and 

 fifth quills are longest and about equal, the first three inches, 

 the second an inch and a quarter, the third four twelfths shorter. 

 The outer five are slightly attenuated on the outer, deeply on 

 the inner web. The secondary quills, thirteen in number, are 

 broad and rounded. The tail is long, straight, even at the 

 end, of twelve rather broad, rounded feathers. 



The bill is light blue at the base, bluish -black at the end ; 

 the cere and eyelids greenish-yellow ; the iris orange ; the 

 tarsi and toes yellow, the claws like the bill. The palate 

 livid-blue. The general colour of the plumage on the upper 



