RHYNCHASPIS CAPENSIS. 



not quite so long as the third, the tertiary quill feathers about the same 

 length as the fifth primary quill feather. Tail rather rigid and slightly 

 rounded, the feathers generally pointed. Bill rather long, narrow, and at 

 base of considerable depth, flat anteriorly, and broadest towards tip ; nail at 

 apex of upper mandible well developed ; nostrils oval and rather large, 

 ciliated processes on inner side of edges of upper mandible strongly deve- 

 loped. Legs and toes short and rather slender ; the tarsi latterly and behind 

 covered with small reticulated scales, anteriorly towards base of middle toe 

 with rudimentary plates. Toes covered with oblique transverse plates ; the 

 web reaches to the base of the claws, and on the inner side of the outer and 

 inner toes, and on each side of the middle toe, is covered with several rows of 

 small scales ; claws short, slightly curved, and rather blunt. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Inches. 

 Length from the point of the bill to 



the tip of the tail 21 



of tlie bill to the angle of the 



mouth 2 



of the wings when folded ... ]0 



of the tail 4 



Lines. 



Inches. 



Length of the tarsus 1 



of the outer toe 1 



of the middle toe 1 



of the inner toe I 



of the hinder toe 



Lines. 

 6 



8 

 3 

 5i 



Young. — The light colours of the head, neck and body are more rusty than 

 those of the adult, and the brown lighter and with less lustre. The shoulder 

 coverts are pale brownish red glossed with greyish blue, the secondary quill 

 coverts only narrowly tipped with white ; the outer vanes of the secondary 

 quill feathers only slightly glossed with shining blackish green, and hence no 

 distinct wing speculum exists. Base and portion of bill towards apex umber- 

 brown, centre light reddish brown, sides oil-green, finely powdered with 

 umber-brown. 



This cluck occurs abiiiidantly in tiie marshes and on the small lakes which exist in the Cape 

 district, but more sparingly in the interior, excepting in the neighbourhood of the towns of 

 Worcester and Uitenhage. 



