246 BACHMAN'S OYSTER-CATCHER. 



wedge-shaped point. Upper mandible with the dorsal line at the base 

 straight and slightly sloping, a little arched beyond the nostrUs, then 

 nearly straight and sloping to the point, the ridge broad and flattened 

 as far as the prominence, afterwards very narrow, the sides sloping at 

 the base, perpendicular towards the end, the edges sharp and direct. 

 Nasal groove basal, long ; nostrils sub-basal, in the middle of the groove 

 near the margin, linear, direct, pervious. Lower mandible with the 

 angle rather short and narrow, the dorsal line straight and slightly as- 

 cending, the ridge narrow, the sides a little convex and erect, with a 

 shallow groove at the base, the edges sharp and direct. 



Head of moderate size, ovate, the forehead convex. Neck rather 

 long. Feet of moderate length, rather stout ; tibia bare for half an 

 inch ; tarsus rather short slightly compressed, covered all round with 

 hexagonal scales ; toes rather short and fleshy, the hind toe wanting, 

 the second shorter than the fourth, the third considerably longer, all 

 scaly at the base above, scutellate towards the end, flattened and broad 

 beneath, with thick margins, and connected at the base by short webs, 

 of which the outer is longer. Claws small, compressed at the base, 

 depressed and rounded at the end, that of the middle toe largest, with 

 a somewhat dilated thin inner edge. 



Plumage of the head and neck short and blended, of the back rather 

 compact and slightly glossed, of the lower parts blended, the feathers 

 in general ovate and rounded. Wings long, acute ; primaries tapering 

 toward the end, but obtuse, the first longest, the second one-twelfth of 

 an inch shorter, the third two-twelfths shorter than the second, the 

 rest more rapidly graduated ; secondaries broad and rounded, the in- 

 ner much elongated and tapering. Tail short, nearly even, of twelve 

 rather broad, roimded feathers, of which the lateral are two-twelfths 

 shorter than the middle (but as they are all worn the proportions can- 

 not be determined). 



BUI vermUion, fading to yellow on the worn parts toward the end. 

 Edges of eyelids vermilion ; iris yellow. Feet white, slightly tinged with 

 flesh colour; claws yellowish, toward the end dusky. The plumage is cho- 

 colate-brown, darker, and tinged with bluish-grey on the head and neck ; 

 the under surface of the quills light brownish-grey, their shafts whitish. 



Length to end of tail 17^ inches ; bill along the ridge 2^%, along 

 the edge of lower mandible 2^*|, its greatest height beyond the nostrils 

 ^ ; wing from flexure 10 ; tail 3^ ; tarsus l^i ; inner toe 1, its claw 

 y'j ; middle toe li|, its claw ^| ; outer toe Ix?, its claw ||. 



