no; PUFFIN. . 



compressed, at the base as high as the head, obliquely furrowed on the 

 sides. Upper mandible with a horny rim along the basal margin, its dor- 

 sal line curved from the base, the ridge very narrow but rounded, the 

 sides rapidly sloped, and marked with three curved oblique grooves, the 

 edges obtuse, their outline nearly straight, the tip deflected, very narrow 

 but obtuse. Between the basal rim and the first groove is a triangular 

 flat space analogous to the nasal groove, in the lower part of which, close 

 to the edge of the bill, is the linear direct nostril. Lower mandible with 

 the angle very narrow, and so placed that the base of the bill is inflected 

 beyond the perpendicular, the dorsal line a little convex at first, towards 

 the end straight, the ridge narrow, broader about the middle, the sides 

 nearly flat, grooved and ridged as in the upper, the edges strong, the tip 

 very narrow. The gape extends downwards a little beyond the base of 

 the bill, and is furnished with a soft corrugated extensible membrane. 



Head large, oblong, anteriorly compressed. Eye rather small, with 

 bare orbits ; over the upper eyelid an oblong, nearly erect, horny body, 

 along the lower a more elongated one of the same nature. Neck short 

 and thick. Body full and rounded. Wings short. Feet short, rather 

 stout ; tibia bare for a short way above the joint. Tarsus very short, 

 little compressed, anteriorly with a series of small scutella, the rest with 

 reticular angular scales. Hind toe wanting. Toes of moderate length, 

 rather slender, scutellate above, connected by reticulated entire mem- 

 branes which project a Uttle, the third and fourth toes about equal, the 

 second considerably shorter, with a narrow marginal web. Claws strong, 

 of moderate length, compressed, shghtly arched, that of the inner toe 

 much curved and acute. 



Plumage close, blended, soft, very short on the head. Wings curved, 

 short, narrow, acute. Primary quills narrow, incurved, first longest, se- 

 cond a little shorter, the rest rapidly graduated. Secondaries very short, 

 small and rounded. Tail very short, slightly rounded, of sixteen narrow 

 rounded feathers. 



Bill with the basal rim and first ridge of upper mandible dull yellow, 

 the intervening space greyish-blue, basal margin of lower bright red, first 

 ridge and intervening space as in the upper, the rest bright red (carmine 

 tinged with vermilion) ; membrane at the base of the gape gamboge-yellow, 

 inside of mouth and tongue yellow. Edge of eyehds vermilion, horny 

 appendages of eyelids greyish-blue. Iris light blue. Feet vermilion, claws 

 black. Throat and sides of the head white, that colour extending over 



