288 RED-BREASTED SNIPE. 
with a longitudinal groove, the edges flattened and directly meeting | 
those of the upper mandible, the extremity enlarged, the tip contracted 
and rather blunt. 
Head rather small, oblong, narrowed anteriorly, the forehead ele- 
vated and rounded. Neck rather short. Body rather full. Legs of 
moderate length, slender; tibia bare below, scutellate before and be- 
hind; tarsus with numerous scutella before, smaller ones behind, and 
reticulated sides; toes very slender, free, with numerous scutella above, 
flattened and slightly marginate beneath ; first very small and elevated, 
third with its claw scarcely so long as the tarsus, lateral toes nearly 
equal, the outer connected with the middle by a web. Claws small, 
slightly arched, compressed, rather acute. 
Plumage very soft, blended, rather dense, on the fore part of the 
head very short. Wings long, narrow, pointed; primaries rather 
broad, tapering to an obtuse point, the first longest, the rest rapidly 
graduated ; secondaries broad, obliquely terminated, with the inner 
web projecting beyond the outer; the inner much elongated, one of 
them reaching to half an inch of the tip of the wing when it is closed. 
Tail moderate, nearly even, the middle feathers a little longer, of 
twelve rounded feathers. 
Bill dark olive. Iris reddish-hazel. Feet light yellowish-olive, 
claws black. Upper parts brownish-black, variegated with light brown- 
ish-red, the feathers being margined and the scapulars obliquely bar- 
red with that colour. Hind part of back, upper tail-coverts and tail- 
feathers, light reddish-buff, obliquely barred with black, the bars on the 
tail seven or eight, and its tip white. Wing-coverts and secondaries grey- 
ish-brown, margined with greyish-white ; the secondary coverts tip- 
ped with white, the quills tipped and obliquely banded with the same ; 
alula, primary coverts and quills brownish-black, the shaft of the first 
quill white. From the base of the bill to the eye, and surrounding it, a 
dull reddish-white band ; loral space dusky. All the lower parts dull 
orange-red, with streaks and spots of black, more numerous along the 
sides, and on the tail-coverts. 
Length to end of tail 104 inches, to end of wings 10, to end of 
claws 111; extent of wings 183; wing from flexure 63; tail 2}; bill 
along the ridge 24; along the edge of lower mandible 24; bare part 
of tibia 4; tarsus 124; middle toe and claw 1}; hind toe and claw %. 
inner toe and claw 1; outer toe and claw 74. Weight 3} oz. 
[od 
Se 
