256 APPENDIX. 



with, which, it agrees in its even tail : its bill, how- 

 ever, is that of Muscipeta, its long wings those of 

 Musscicapa^ while its excessively short feet are with- 

 out parallel in this family. The upper plumage is 

 of the darkest black, glossed with sea-green, and 

 this colour extends in front of the throat so far as 

 to cover the breast ; the rest of the under plumage 

 is white, varied with black on the flanks ; the bill 

 is unusually long and very flat ; the tip abruptly 

 hooked; the crown has a lengthened procumbent 

 crest which ends in a point, and the tail is so short 

 as hardly to exceed the wings. At the base of the 

 primaries is a conspicuous white spot; bill and 

 thighs black ; feet bright yellow, stout ; the claws 

 strong, compressed, and deep black ; anterior scales 

 of the tarsi divided into irregular hexagons. 



