PLATYSTERA. 183 



is but slightly compressed towards the tip, and the 

 under mandible, instead of being stout, is flat and 

 thin; the wings are longer, which gives them a more 

 pointed appearance; their structure is also different, 

 the first quill being only half as long as the third; 

 the toes are considerably smaller than those of the 

 Lepturus, and the claws, instead of being slender 

 and pointed, are broad, and much curved. Now, 

 as these peculiarities of the wings and feet arc 

 typical of Platystera, we can have no hesitation in 

 placing Platystera longipes in this, rather than in the 

 last sub-genus. Nevertheless, it is an aberrant 

 species, just as is Todus megacephalus in the sub- 

 genus Todus; for independant of all other con- 

 siderations, it has one distinguishing character, the 

 lateral toes are perfectly equal, whereas in all the 

 other species of Platystera we yet know of, they are 

 unequal. This latter structure, in fact, we see in 

 the next modification of form, instanced by the 

 Prit-prit of Le Vaillant, figured in the same work : 

 here the bill is considerably broader, yet still gra- 

 dually narrowed towards the end; the wings are 

 longer, the tail shorter and even, and the feet dif- 

 ferently formed ; the inner toe is the shortest, and 

 the outer connected to the base of the middle toe, 

 as far as the first joint. This second modification 

 brings us at once to the typical species of the group 

 represented by the Platystera lobata, Sw. The 

 bill now puts on the aspect of that of a genuine 

 Tody ; it is broad along its whole length, but with 

 a sharp culmen; the rictus, or gape, is strongly 



