TUFTED PUFFIN. 363 



liquely truncate. 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 of moderate size, with 

 the edges of the eyelids bare ; neck short and thick ; body full and round- 

 ed. Feet short, rather stout ; tibia bare for a short space above the joint ; 

 tarsus very short, anteriorly with a series of small scutella, the rest with 

 small roundish scales. Hind toe wanting ; toes of moderate length, ra- 

 ther slender, scutellate above, connected by reticulated entire membranes, 

 the third toe longest, the fourth little shorter, the second considerably 

 shorter, with a narrow marginal web. Claws strong, of moderate length, 

 compressed, arched, that of the inner toe much curved, of the middle toe 

 with a thin inner edge. 



Plumage close, blended, soft, very short on the head, where, however, 

 along a line over and behind the eye, there is on each side a tuft of long, 

 very slender, acute incurved feathers, of a shining hair-like texture. 

 Wings rather short, curved, narrow, acute ; primary quills narrow, in- 

 curved, first longest, second slightly shorter, the rest rapidly graduated ; 

 secondaries very short, small and rounded. Tail very short, slightly 

 rounded, of sixteen narrow I'ounded decurved feathers. 



Bill light yellowish-red, the basal rim and the ridge towards the end 

 of the upper mandible bright red, as is the edge of the eyelids. Iris light 

 blue. Feet bright red ; webs of a deeper tint ; claws black. Sides of the 

 head white ; upper part brownish-black ; the elongated feathers behind 

 the eye pale yellow. The general colour of the upper parts is brownish- 

 black, glossed with blue, of the lower deep purplish-brown. 



Length to end of tail 15 inches, to end of wings 14, to end of claws 

 14 ; extent of wings 22| ; wing from flexure 8^^ ; tail 2^ ; bill along the 

 ridge SJ, along the edge of lower mandible 1^| ; tarsus l/j ; middle toe 

 l^f, its claw j'j. 



