228 BULLETIN 6 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



frontal antia, the mental antia far anterior to both (about on line 

 with or slightly anterior to posterior end of nostril). Wing rather 

 small, distinctly concave beneath, rounded at tip, the second, third, 

 and fourth primaries (from outside) longest, the first (outermost) 

 not longer (sometimes shorter) than sixth, the distal primaries, 

 especially the outermost, relatively broad and rather strongly bowed, 

 the longest exceeding distal secondaries: by less than half the length 

 of wing. Tail nearly two-thirds as long as wing, very strongly 

 rounded (the lateral rectrices not more than half as long as middle 

 pair) , consisting of 14 broad, moderately firm, rectrices with broadly 

 rounded tips ; tail coverts greatly developed, the lower ones extend- 

 ing nearly to tip of tail. Tarsus shorter than exposed culmen, much 

 shorter than middle toe (without claw), compressed; outer toe 

 slightly shorter than middle toe, the inner toe decidedly shorter; 

 but reaching to beyond last articulation of middle toe; hallux about 

 as long as basal phalanx of outer toe, decidedly shorter than that of 

 inner toe; anterior toes with a broad, distinctly scutellate lateral 

 membrane and united for more than half their length by a web, the 

 hallux with a broad lobe or membrane on inner side; claws small 

 but strongly curved and very sharp. 



Plumage and coloration. — Plumage ducklike (dense and firm), 

 that of the head and neck short, dense, and soft; head completely 

 feathered. Upperparts plain olive, the tail darker, narrowly tipped 

 with white; underparts white, shading into light olive-brownish 

 laterally and posteriorly; pileum, hindneck, broad auricular stripe 

 and broad stripe on sides of neck black, relieved by a white supra- 

 auricular stripe and another on sides of neck, the throat and fore- 

 neck also white. 



Nidification. — Unknown (young said to be gymnopaedic ! ) . 



Range. — Continental tropical America. (Monotypic.) 



HELIORNIS FULICA (Boddaert) 



SUN-GBEBB 



Adult (sexes alike). — Narrow frontal area pale, warm fuscous 

 with a violaceous tinge; crown, occiput, hind neck, and a broad post- 

 ocular stripe, which is separated from the top of the head by a con- 

 spicuous white superciliary stripe and which merges posteriorly with 

 the hind neck, black with a rather bright greenish-blue sheen ; also a 

 broad stripe of the same on the sides of the neck posterior to the 

 caudal end of white superciliaries but separated from the black of 

 the hind neck by a white stripe beginning just behind the auriculars ; 

 scapulars, interscapulars, lesser and median upper wing coverts, 

 back, rump, and upper tail coverts dark brownish olive, the rump 

 and upper tail coverts much tinged with buffy-olive; greater upper 



