THE NEW HOLLAND CEREOPSIS. 317 



between the nostrils and the eyes; in the large open 

 nostrils placed near the middle of the cere ; in the 

 somewhat greater length of the legs, which are more- 

 over bare of feathers for some distance above the knees ; 

 in the mode of palmation of the anterior toes, the webs 

 between which are so deeply cut out as to appear 

 scarcely to reach beyond the half of their length ; in 

 the hinder toe not touching the ground even with its 

 claw ; in all the toes being more robust ; and in the 

 number of tail-feathers, which are sixteen in the Cere- 

 opsis, while they are only twelve in the Goose. 



The New Holland Cereopsis, the only species of the 

 group yet discovered, is about the same size as our 

 common goose, which it nearly resembles in its general 

 form, with the exception of the comparative length of 

 the bill and legs. A broad patch on the top of the 

 head is of a dull white ; and the rest of the plumage of 

 a dingy gray, deeper on the upper tlian on the under 

 parts, having the extremity of each of the feathers of 

 the back margined with a lighter band, and most of 

 the wing-coverts and secondary quill-feathers marked 

 with rounded dusky spots of from two to four lines in 

 diameter. On the feathers of the back and shoulders 

 the spots are much larger, assume an angular or semi- 

 lunar form, and approach more nearly the general 

 colour of the plumage. The quill-feathers both of the 

 wings and tail are dusky black throughout the greater 

 part of their extent. The naked extremity of the bill 

 is black ; the broadly expanded cere of a light straw or 

 lemon colour ; the irides light hazel ; the naked part of 

 the legs reddish orange ; and the toes, together with 

 their web and claws, and a streak passing for some 

 little distance up the fore part of the leg, black. 



It was in all probability a mutilation of the specimen 

 first seen by Dr. Latham that induced him to refer this 

 bird to the Wading Order ; for in his original descrip- 



