RHYNCHOPID^ BHYNCHOPS 449 



far beyond the tail, the first primary the longest ; tail comparatively 

 short and slightly forked ; feet small, tarsus a good deal longer 

 than the middle toe and claw ; web between the inner and middle 

 toe deeply incised. 



These curious birds with their very remarkably shaped bills are 

 found about the rivers of temperate and tropical America, Africa 

 and southern Asia. Out of five species only one occurs in Africa 

 and is here described. 





774. Rhynchops flavirostris. African Skimmer. 



Khynchops flavirostris, Vieill. N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. iii, p. 383 (1816) ; 

 Livingstone, Missionary Travels, p. 252 (1857) ; Kirk, Ibis, 1864, 

 p. 337 ; Gurney, in Andersson's B. Damaral. p. 365 (1872) ; Shelley, 

 B. Egypt, p. 302, pi. 14 (1872) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. 8. Afr. 

 p. 706 (1884) ; Holub fr Pelzeln, Orn. Sud-Afr. p. 333 (1882) ; 

 Saunders, Cat. B. M. xxv, p. 158 (1896) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 164 

 (1896) ; Reichenow, Vog. Afr. i, p. 76 (1900) ; Alexander, Ibis, 1900, 

 p. 442. 



" Scissor-billed Tern " of some authors. 



Description. Adult Male in breeding plumage. Forehead white ; 

 crown, nape and rest- of the upper parts deep umber-brown, 

 primaries darker brown ; secondaries and tail-feathers edged with 

 whitish ; below including the sides of the face and neck white 

 throughout ; under wing-coverts smoky-brown. 



FIG. 140. Head of Rhynchops flavirostris. x ^ 



Iris brown, bill vermilion to deep orange on the upper, paler 

 on the lower mandible ; tarsi and toes vermilion. 



Length about 14-0 ; wing 12-5 ; tail 4-0 ; tarsus -92 ; culmen 1/7 ; 

 lower mandible 2-4. 



29 VOL. iv. 



