HOBBY. 183 



directly truncate, witli a semicircular notch on each 

 side. 



The upper mandible internally has a strong central 

 ridge ; the lower, which is deeply concave, a smaller 

 elevated central line. On the palate are two promi- 

 nent lines, having on their ridge numerous small pa- 

 pillae directed backwards, and two smaller diverging 

 lateral lines. The tongue is sagittate and papillate at 

 the base, fleshy, oblong, channelled above, the tip 

 rounded, with a notch, its lower surface horny, with a 

 central groove. 



The tarsi, which are anteriorly feathered about a 

 third down, are slender, compressed behind, anteriorly 

 and laterally with angular scales, five of which over 

 the joint are scutelliform. The toes, which are con- 

 nected at the base by short webs, are slender, scutel- 

 late above, the third toe much longer than the fourth, 

 which is considerably longer than the second, the hind 

 toe being stronger but shorter. The first toe has eight, 

 the second twelve, the third nineteen, the fourth four- 

 teen scutella. 



The plumage of the upper parts is compact, but with 

 the edges thin and loose, of the lower rather blended. 

 The cere is nearly bare in its fore part ; the radiating 

 loral feathers and those about the base of the bill bris- 

 tle tipped, but with distant barbs. Feathers of the 

 head short and rounded, of the back and breast oblong ; 

 of the sides elongated, as are those on the outer part of 

 the tibia. Wings very long, narrowed towards the 

 end and rather pointed ; the first primary cut out on the 

 inner web and but slightly shorter than the second, 

 which is longest, and has the outer web slightly cut 



