GLEANINGS FROM THE CALCUTTA MARKET. 485 



to half way between first and second joint of mid toe ; mid toe 

 from between first and second joint, connected by a web to first 

 joint of inner toe ; hind toe long, thin, free, considerably raised 

 above sole ; a conspicuous groove on each side of bill from fore- 

 head over nares, almost to point ; point of bill much dilated, 

 not showing reticulations or pittings in the fresh specimen, but 

 with a conspicuous central groove ; inner surface of upper man- 

 dible or palate, with a double row of sharp thorn-like, recurved 

 papilke.* Tongue long, simple, sharp-pointed and membrane- 

 ous towards tip. 



Bill deep brown, pinkish fleshy towards base of lower man- 

 dible; legs and feet pure dull lead colour, a little dusky at 

 joint and in some specimens on toes ; claws deep brown ; irides 

 deep brown ; the lower wing-coverts are much developed, the 

 greater ones of the hinder secondaries being almost as long as 

 the quills themselves. 



A conspicuous dark line from the eye to the nostrils ; a 

 broad not very regular dull white or brownish white band 

 above this line, extending backwards, diminished in breadth as 

 a supercilium ; the chin, cheeks, throat and front and sides of 

 neck white, with a brownish tinge, thickly streaked longitudi- 

 nally with little brown lines, short and more or less speck-like 

 about chin, throat and face, longer, broader, more pronounced 

 lower down ; the few last feathers, at the base of the neck on 

 sides and at front, with traces of arrowhead, subterminal brown 

 bars ; the feathers at the extreme sides of the breast with 

 these well marked. 



The breast, abdomen, sides, flanks, vent, lower tail-coverts, 

 tibial plumes, axillaries, and wing-lining, in some specimens 

 all pure white and unmarked, in others with a few spots, traces 

 of obsolete bars, on some of the feathers of the sides, flanks and 

 lower tail-coverts. 



The variation in the amount of barring at the base of the 

 neck, on the extreme sides of the breast and elsewhere, is pro- 

 bably seasonal. 



The lesser lower coverts everywhere just inside the edge 

 of the wing, brown centred. 



The forehead between the dull white bands, the crown and 

 occiput, moderately dark, slightly sooty, brown, with just a 

 trace of paler margins to the feathers. 



The nape, back of neck and interscapulary region similar, 

 but the brown somewhat lighter, and the pale brown margins 

 to the feathers more conspicuous ; the scapulars similar, but 

 most of them rather darker; the lesser wing-coverts generally 



* This also characterizes Totanm haughtoni. 



