8 Mr. W. P. Py craft on the 



the segment next beyond it, and, further, to have the dorsal 

 and ventral margins produced forwards into two short blunt 

 processes, representing cilia of more highly developed fea- 

 thers (PI. III. fig. 2). 



Se7niplumce. — These occur very sparingly. I find some 

 three to four fringing the upper margin of the pt. femoralis, 

 and a similar number along the margin of the pt. spinalis 

 opposite, where they occupy much the same position as do 

 the powder-down-feathers of Nitzsch (see p. 17). The 

 structure of the radii agrees precisely with that of the down- 

 feathers. 



Thick-shafted Feathers. — The rhachis of some of the 

 contour-feathers, notably those of the pt. spinalis, is much 

 thickened (PI. I., PI. II.). 



Accessory and ornamental Plumes. — There is a tuft 

 of elongated feathers arising from the crown of the head. 



Rhamphotheca. — The compound structure of the Rham- 

 photheca, or horny beak -sheath, is not apparent in the adult. 

 In the mandible it is suggested by two grooves, one on either 

 side from the gonys, or symphysis of the rami, to the tip. 

 At the base of the upper beak-sheath there is a well- developed 

 cere. Arising from the anterior angle of the external nares, 

 it extends backwards as far as the forehead, so as to be almost 

 level with a line drawn across the head from the anterior 

 corner of the eyelid. 



There is no trace of denticulation along the tomia, or of 

 the g Ian dulse gu lares, or of the maxillo-palatine glands 

 described in the nestling (p. 13). 



Podotheca. — Acrotarsus reticulate proximally, but 

 rapidly passes into scutellse, which are continued down to 

 the planta. 



PI ant a. — Reticulate, the scales decreasing somewhat iu 

 size from above downwards 



Claws. — Short, blunt, and stout, that of the middle toe 

 having the peculiar flange to the inner margin which is so 

 often pectinated in other birds, e.g. the Nightjar, Bittern. 

 There is a short conical claw on the index digit of the 

 manus. 



