30 BULLETESr 50, XHSTITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



basally; nasal fossa broad, extending for more than one-third the 

 length of maxilla, but becoming gradually narrower and indistinct 

 anteriorly; nostril longitudinally elliptical (sometimes slightly more 

 elevated anteriorly and slightly narrower as well as more pointed 

 posteriorly), pervious, separated by more than its length from loral 

 feathering. Wing large, broad, and rounded, the broad proximal 

 secondaries extending as far as tips of longest primaries, the latter 

 exceeding distal secondaries by a little less than length of exposed 

 culmen ; third and fourth primaries (from outside) longest, the first 

 (outermost) shorter than eighth, sometimes shorter than ninth; 

 inner web of outermost primary excised for most of its length, most 

 deeply subbasally, where not more (sometimes much less) than half 

 as wide as on distal portion. Tail between one-third and one-half 

 as long as wing, slightly but distinctly rounded, composed of 12 

 broad, moderately stiff rectrices. Tarsus slightly longer than culmen, 

 decidedly longer than middle toe with claw, the acrotarsium with 

 a continuous row of broad transverse scutella, the planta tarsi with 

 two or three rows of large hexagonal scales ; outer toe (without claw) 

 reaching to or beyond middle of penultimate phalanx of middle 

 toe, the inner decidedly shorter, reaching beyond penultimate articu- 

 lation of middle toe; hallux incumbent (or nearly so), nearly as 

 long (without claw) as basal phalanx of outer toe, all the toes with 

 very distinct broad transverse scutella; claws moderate in size, 

 curvature and acuteness; no trace of web between anterior toes. 



Plwmage and coloration. — Head completely feathered, the feather- 

 ing rather short (except on pileum) and soft; feathering of neck 

 longer, the feathers rather narrow and lax, that of body much more 

 full, more compact on back, etc., more lax on underparts, the under 

 tail coverts broad and soft, extending nearly to tip of tail. General 

 color olive-brownish (remiges and rectrices faintly glossed with 

 purplish), the head and neck, sometimes back, wing coverts, and 

 under parts also, striped with white. Sexes alike. 



Nidifioation. — Nest placed among reeds, rushes, or other aquatic 

 vegetation. Eggs four to seven or more, pale dull buffy, spotted, and 

 stained with brown and purplish gray. Young ptilopaedic and 

 nidifugous. 



KEY TO THE SUBSPECIES OF ARAMUS SCOLOPACEUS 



a. Interscapulars and upper wing coverts with lanceolate white streaks. 

 6. A white area at base of secondaries extending along the outer web next 



to the shaft for about 150 mm Aramus scolopaceus dolosus (p. 31) 



66. No such white extension along the shaft of the secondaries, 

 c. The white streaks reduced to narrow shaft stripes on the lesser upper 



wing coverts Aramus scolopaceus elucus (p. 36) 



cc. The white streaks on the lesser upper wing coverts fairly broad. 



Aramus scolopaceus pictus (p. 32) 



