60 SCOLOPACID.E. 



The beak is slender, and very slightly curved, three- 

 quarters of an inch in length, and greenish black ; from the 

 point to the gape it measures one inch, and from the gape 

 to the occiput is also one inch : the irides hazel ; the fea- 

 thers on the top of the head dark brown, approaching to 

 black, each feather edged with very light brown, giving a 

 mottled appearance ; the back of the neck light brown, the 

 dark spots formed by the centre of each feather minute ; 

 the back very dark brown, the extreme edges only of the 

 feathers light brown ; the wing-coverts brown ; the pri- 

 maries nearly black, tipped with white ; the shafts white ; 

 the tertials brown, edged with light brown ; upper tail- 

 coverts brown, with lighter coloured borders ; the tail 

 cuneiform, the centre feathers black, the shafts and edges 

 lighter ; the feathers on each side light brown, enclosed by 

 a zone of black, and edged with white ; the chin, sides of 

 the neck, throat and breast, light brown, tinged with buff; 

 abdomen, flanks, and under tail-coverts white, but pervaded 

 also with the buff colour of the higher parts ; the sides of 

 the neck spotted, from the dark centres of the feathers 

 occupying a larger surface than upon the front ; axillary 

 plume pure white ; under surface of the broad web of the 

 primaries beautifully mottled with dark specks ; under sur- 

 face of the secondaries ending in sabre-shaped points, pre- 

 senting a series of lines formed by alternating shades of 

 white, black and dusky bands, which in the adult bird are 

 well defined, and present a beautifully variegated appear- 

 ance, peculiar to this species. The legs are bare for half 

 an inch above the joint ; the tarsus measures one inch and 

 one quarter ; legs and toes brown, the claws black. Whole 

 length of the bird about eight inches. From the carpal 

 joint to the end of the first quill-feather, which is the 

 longest, five inches and a quarter. 



