KITE. 269 



oblong, the muscular coat tliin, the two lateral tendons 

 distinct, the inner coat smooth. Intestine slender, 

 nearly uniforui in diameter throughout, the rectum 

 much dilated towards its extremity. 



Nostrils elliptical, rather small, oblique, lateral, near- 

 er the ridge than the edge, and close to the convex an- 

 terior margin of the cere. Eyes large; eyelids feather- 

 ed, and furnished with ciliary bristles ; the superciliary 

 ridge prominent. Aperture of the ear large, roundish. 



Head of moderate size, ovate, rather flattened above, 

 anteriorly narrowed; neck short; body compact, ovate, 

 compressed behind ; wings very long. Legs very short, 

 strong; tibiae short and muscular; tarsi very short, round- 

 ish, feathered before nearly half their length, anteriorly 

 covered with a few large scutella, laterally and behind 

 with angular scales, those on the tarsal joint small and 

 in transverse series ; toes of moderate size, strong, the 

 outer connected at the base with the third by a pretty 

 large web, the latter with the second by a rudimentary 

 web ; the first nearly equal to the second, which is a 

 little shorter and stronger than the fourth ; the third 

 much longer ; all covered above with large scutella, the 

 lateral toes having transverse series of scales at the base, 

 laterally and beneath with prominent rough tubercular 

 scales ; claws long, curved, tapering, very acute, con- 

 cave beneath, those of the first and second toes nearly 

 equal, that of the third longest, and with an inner sharp 

 edge. 



Plumage soft, slightly glossed, rather blended. Cere 

 bare on its upper part; space between the bill and eye 

 closely covered with narrow bristle-tipped' feathers, 

 which are downy at the base. Feathers of the head of 



