462 THE Divma birds — pygopodes. 



5. Ceppiius. Size inedinin (wing about 6.50 to 7.50). 



c^. Bill exceedingly variable in form, but never curved abruptly at the tip, always (except 



in Ccrorhyncha) much shorter tlian the head, the gonydeal angle much nearer the base 



than the tip of the mandible (except in Sijnthliboramphus). 



rfi. Distance from anterior border of nasal fossoe to nearest feathering one fourth, or 



less than one fourth, of the distance from the same point to the tip of the maxilla. 



(^Braclnjramphca'.) 



6. Brachyramphus. Tarsi reticuhite in front, not longer than the maxillary tomium (meas- 



ured to base of horny portion) ; bill moderately compressed, the depth through the base 

 decidedly less than one half the culmen. Size small (wing less than 6.00 inches). 



7. Synthliboramphus. Tarsi scutellate in front, much longer than the maxillary tomium ; 



bill mucli compressed, the depth through the base much more than half the culmen. Size 

 of Brachyramphus. 



rf2. Distance from anterior border of nasal fossae to nearest feathering one lialf, or more, 

 the distance from the same point to the tip of the maxilla. (Phalerece.) 



8. Ciceronia. Bill small, without accessory pieces, except a small compressed knob at the 



base of the culmen in the breeding-season. Head without crests, but ornamented (in 

 the adult) with white acicular feathers over frontal and loral regions. Size smallest 

 of the Alcidiv (wing less than 4.00 inches) 



9. Phaleris. Similar to Ciceronia, but culmen destitute of knob, even in breeding-season, the 



head ornamented with a long, slender, recurved crest on the fore part of the crown, sev- 

 eral long, slender, whitish filaments springing from above the eye, a postocular series of 

 long, slender, pointed, white feathers, and a similar series crossing the cheeks. Size a 

 little larger than Ciceronia (Aving about 4.50 inches). 



10. Simorhynchus. In the breeding-season : Covering of the bill complicated by the fol- 

 lowing accessory pieces, all of which are shed before winter : base of mandibular rami 

 developed into a prominent broad plate, curving upward to the rictus ; base of maxillary 

 tomia developed into a large semicircular concave plate. A frontal recurved crest, as 

 in Phaleris, but no other ornaments except a postocular line of narrow, pointed, white 

 feathers. In winter : Bill simple, as in Phaleris. Size larger (wing 5.00 inches or 

 more) . 



11. Cyclorhynchus. Bill without accessory pieces ; much compressed, very deep, M'ith 

 rounded outlines, the depth through the base equal to the chord of the culmen ; the 

 latter decidedly convex ; mandible falcate, or strongly recurved, and sharp-pointed. A 

 single line of pointed white feathers behind the eye. Size of Simorhynchus. 



12. Ptychoramphus. Bill without supernumerary pieces, and head without ornamental 

 featliers. Bill elongate-conical, the maxilla i™.ich broader than deep at the base ; culmen 

 nearly straight, and gonys likewise little curved, but decidedly ascending from the men- 

 tal angle. Nasal fossae very large (occupying nearly the basal half of the mandible). 



Size small (wing about 5.00 inches). 



13. Cerorhyncha. Bill large and much compressed, nearly as long as the head, height 

 nearly half the length, the culmen strongly curved, the gonj^s slightly concave, the men- 

 tal angle being very prominent. Cere surmounted in the breeding-season by a prominent 

 vertical compressed knob or horn. Adult with a postocular and mystacial series of 

 narrow, pointed white feathers. Size large (wing about 7.00 inches). 



B. Inner claw much larger and more strongly curved than the others. A tumid "rosette" at 

 the angle of the mouth. 

 Sub-family Fraterculin^. Bill excessively compressed, its depth at the base nearly or quite 

 equal to the chord of the culmen, the terminal half transversely grooved, the basal 

 portion ornamented in the breeding-season by a greater or less number of supernumerary 

 deciduous pieces. 



14. Pratercula. Deciduous nasal shield, rapidly diminishing in Avidth toward the top ; 

 basal outline of the mandible concave ; maxillary sulci and anterior outline of the nasal 

 shield with the concave sides posterior ; terminal half of mandible obliquely sulcate ; 

 eyelids furnished with deciduous horny plates ; head not tufted. 



