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Genus I.— LESTRIS, Illiger. JAGER. 



Bill shorter than the head, strong, slightly compressed, straight, with the 

 tip curved; upper mandible with the dorsal line nearly straight, toward the 

 tip decurved, the ridge broad and convex, formed by two plates, which 

 overlap the nostrils, the sides narrow and convex, the edges sharp and 

 inflected, the tip or unguis decurved, compressed, acute; nasal groove long, 

 narrow; the nostrils in its fore part medial, lateral, longitudinal, broad before, 

 extremely narrow behind, open and pervious; lower mandible with the 

 angle long and narrow, a slight prominence at its extremity, beyond which 

 the dorsal line is slightly concave, the sides erect, and slightly convex, the 

 edges sharp and inflected, the tip obliquely truncate. Head rather large; 

 neck of moderate length; body rather full. Feet of moderate length, rather 

 stout; tibia bare at its lower part, and rough all round, with small convex 

 scales; tarsus compressed behind and scabrous, anteriorly scutellate; hind 

 toe extremely small and elevated; fore toes of moderate size, connected by 

 convex webs, the third toe longest, the fourth little shorter. Claws strong, 

 much curved, very acute, compressed. Plumage full, soft, blended, on the 

 back rather compact. Wings very long, rather broad, pointed, the first quill 

 longest. Tail of moderate length, or elongated, of twelve feathers, of 

 which the middle are longest. Tongue broadly channelled above, contracted 

 and induplicate toward the end, with the point slit; oesophagus very wide; 

 stomach small, moderately muscular, with the epithelium thin, dense, and 

 longitudinally rugous; intestine rather short and wide; coeca rather long; 

 cloaca oblong. 



Vol. VII. 27 



