72 TELL-TALE GODWIT. 
Adult male. Plate CCCVIII. Fig 1. 
Bill much longer than the head, very slender, subcylindrical, straight, 
flexible, compressed at the base, the point rather depressed and obtuse. 
Upper mandible with the dorsal line straight, the ridge convex, broader 
at the base beyond the nostrils blended with the sides, which are con- 
vex, the edges thick, with a groove running their whole length, the 
tip slightly deflected. Lower mandible with the angle very long and 
narrow, the dorsal line straight, the sides convex, with aslight groove 
in their basal half, the sides convex, the edges grooved longitudinally, 
the tip narrow. Nasal groove long and narrow, extending to nearly 
half the length of the bill; nostrils basal, linear, direct, pervious. 
Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed, eyes large. Neck ra- 
ther long and slender. Body slender. Feet very long and slender; 
tibia bare for half its length, scutellate before and behind, tarsus 
compressed, also scutellate before and behind ; hind toe very small and 
elevated ; fore toes of moderate length, very slender, connected at the 
base by webs, of which the outer is larger; second or inner toe con- 
siderably shorter than fourth, which is in a similar degree exceeded by 
the third ; all covered with numerous scutella above, flattened beneath, 
and marginate. Claws small, slightly arched, much compressed, rather 
obtuse, that of the middle toe much larger, with the inner edge dilated. 
Plumage soft and blended, on the fore part of the head very short. 
Wings long, narrow, pointed; primaries narrow and tapering, first 
longest, second a little shorter, the rest rapidly graduated ; secondaries 
short, broad, incurved, obliquely rounded, the inner elongated and ta- 
pering. Tail short, doubly emarginate in a slight degree, of twelve 
rounded feathers. 
Bill black, tinged with bluish-grey at the base. Iris dark brown. 
Feet bright yellow, claws brownish-black. Upper part of the head, 
lores, cheeks, and the neck all round, excepting the throat, streaked 
with brownish-black, on a white ground, tinged with grey on the head 
and hind neck; the throat, breast, and abdomen, are pure white, 
the sides and lower tail-coverts barred with brownish-black, as are the 
axillar feathers and lower wing-coverts, the lower surface of the pri- 
maries light grey, their shafts white. The upper parts generally are 
black, glossed with green, each feather margined with white triangu- 
lar spots. The hind part of the rump and the upper tail-coverts 
white, barred with dusky. ‘The anterior smaller wing-coverts, alula, 
