126 GAME SHOAL-WATJR FOWL. 



the centre of the body. Legs bare n little above 

 the joint; tarsus short, a little compressed, an- 

 teriorly with scutella, laterally and behind with 

 small reticulated scales. Hind toe extremely 

 small, with a very narrow membrane ; third toe 

 longest, fourth a little shorter, but longer 

 than the second ; all the toes connected by reti- 

 culated membranes, the outer with a thick mar- 

 gin, the inner with the margin extended into a 

 slightly-lobed web. Claws small, arched, com- 

 pressed, rather acute ; that of the middle 

 toe much larger, with a dilated, thin, inner 

 edge. 



Plumage dense, soft, elastic; of the head and 

 neck, short, blended, and splendent ; of the other 

 parts in general, broad and rounded. Wings of 

 moderate length, acute ; primaries narrow and 

 tapering ; the second longest, the first very little 

 shorter : secondaries broad, curved inward, the 

 inner elongated and tapering. Tail short, much 

 rounded, of sixteen acute feathers, of which the 

 four central are recurved. 



Bill greenish-yellow. Iris dark-brown. Feet 

 orange-red. Head and upper part of neck deep 

 green, a ring of white about the middle of the 

 neck ; lower part anteriorly, and fore-part of 



