102 CURLED-CRESTED PHALERIS. 



of an inch ; tarsus very short, compressed, covered anteriorly with ob- 

 lique scutella ; hind toe wanting ; anterior toes united by emarginate 

 webs ; the inner toe considerably shorter than the outer, which is nearly 

 as long as the middle. Claws rather small, moderately arched, com- 

 pressed, rather acute. 



Plumage dense, blended, glossy above. Wings of moderate length, 

 narrow, pointed ; primaries tapering, the first longest, the rest rapidly 

 graduated ; secondaries rounded. Tail very short, rounded, of four- 

 teen feathers. 



Bill orange-red, with its base, including the knob, greyish-blue ; 

 feet dusky grey, claws brownish-black. The general colom" of the upper 

 parts is brownish-black ; the fore part and sides of the head streaked 

 with linear, acuminate, elongated, white feathers ; the tips of the secon- 

 daries also white. The cheeks and a small portion of the throat at the 

 base of the bill, are dusky ; the lower parts white, mottled with dusky, 

 the tips of the feathers being of that colovir. 



Length to end of tail 6 inches ; bill along the ridge /j, excluding 

 the outline of the knob, which is ^| in height, and about the same 

 length, along the edge of lower mandible ^'^^ ; wing from flexure 4 ; 

 tail Ij ; tarsus j^ ; inner toe i\, its claw j^ ; middle toe {^, its claw 

 1^ ; outer toe \^, its claw ^^. 



CURLED-CRESTED PHALERIS. 



Phaleris cristatella, Gmel. 



PLATE CCCCII. Adult. 



My drawing of this singular bird, which also belongs to the north- 

 west coast, was taken from a specimen in the Museum of the Zoologi- 

 cal Society. Since then I procured one for description, from Mr Lead- 

 beater. 



Alca cristatella, Chnel. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 552, — Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. 

 p. 794. 



