302 SURNIA. 



disk small, and placed with a more lateral inclina- 

 tion ; the plumage more rigid, and the wings 

 formed for pursuing flight. Birds hunt by day as 

 well as during the twilight. 



SURNIA, generic characters. Bill short but 

 strong, slightly sinuated, and compressed up- 

 wards at the base ; nostrils oval, and placed 

 obliquely ; disk small, retracting laterally ; 

 ruff nearly wanting ; conchal opening small ; 

 no operculum ; wings of mean length, rigid, 

 third quill longest, three or four first deeply 

 notched ; legs and toes muscular, thickly 

 clothed with long plumes, having cetaceous 

 webs ; claws long, sharp, much incurved and 

 slender towards the ti$s ; plumage rigid. 



