HYDROPSALIS AND ANTROSTOMUS. 121 



figure extant of this bird is that given by Buffon in Planches Enluminiees 735, which 

 is barely recognizable, and in which the bristles of the mandible are entirely omitted. 

 The latter are, however, expressly mentioned in the text. 



3. Antrostomus SERico-CAUDATUs. Cassin, Proc. Ac. Nat. Scien.'Phila. 1849, p. 238. 



Plate 12. 



Form. — 5 Wings rather long, third primary longest, second, third and fourth 

 sinuated on their outer webs, shafts slightly curved. Tail cuneiform, the middle 

 feathers of which are equal and longest. Bill rather long and depressed, tarsi short, 

 slightly feathered below the knee. 



Dimensions. — Total length of skin from tip of bill to end of tail about 1 1 inches ; 

 wing 7| ; tail 5| inches. 



Colors. — Upper parts of the head and body variegated vs'ith black and fulvous, the 

 latter in rounded spots and narrow irregular lines predominating on the wing coverts, 

 but the former (black) on the head and scapulars. Neck with a semicollar of deep 

 reddish fulvous behind and yellowish white before, the feathers of the latter tipped 

 with black. 



Throat nearly black, breast below the collar, with deep fulvous spots and irregular 

 lines ; belly and ventral region with a predominating pale fulvous white and some 

 nearly pure white spots, every feather transversely lined and barred with black ; 

 under tail coverts fulvous, unspotted. 



Quills brownish black, primaries with about ten to twelve irregular shaped but 

 rather triangular spots of deep fulvous on their external webs ; secondaries with 

 irregular bars of pale fulvous mottled with black. First, second and third feathers 

 of the tail brownish black, with several obscure bands of reddish fulvous and 

 obliquely tipped in a very conspicuous manner with fine silky white. Fourth feather 

 of a similar color, but without the white tip and with the bands more definite. Two 

 middle feathers brownish black, with about ten to twelve bars on each web of deep 

 reddish fulvous, well defined, and which are disposed obliquely from the shafts of the 

 feathers like a pinnate leaf; two middle feathers without white tips. 



5 unknown. 



Hah. — South America. 



Ohs. — The distribution of the colors on the upper surface of the body in this 

 handsome species resembles in some degree that of Scolopax rusticola or Scolopax 

 minor. It does not resemble in any remarkable degree any other species known to 

 me, and is strongly characterized by the silky white tips of the external tail feathers. 

 These tips cross the feathers obliquely, so that when the cuneiform tail is expanded, 

 they form a continued margin on the ends of those feathers. This is one of the few 

 species of this family which have beauty of plumage. 



31 



