256 KNOBBED-BILLED PHALERIS. 



is brownish-black; the fore part and sides of the head streaked with linear, 

 acuminate, elongated, white feathers; the tips of the secondaries also white. 

 The cheeks and a small portion of the throat at the base of the bill are 

 dusky; the lower parts white, mottled with dusky, the tips of the feathers 

 being of that colour. 



Length to end of tail 6 inches; bill along the ridge T \, excluding the 

 outline of the knob, which is -£§ in height, and about the same length, along 

 the edge of lower mandible -j^; wing from flexure 4; tail 1^; tarsus T ^; 

 inner toe yg-, its claw -j%; middle toe yf, its claw ff; outer toe |f, its 

 claw t 2 t- 



Genus IV.— MERGULUS, Ray. SEA-DOVE. 



Bill shorter than the head, stout, nearly straight, sub-pentagonal at the 

 base, compressed towards the end; upper mandible with the dorsal line 

 convexo-declinate, the ridge convex, the sides sloping, the edges sharp and 

 overlapping, the tip rather obtuse; nasal depression short and broad; nostrils 

 basal, oblong; lower mandible with the angle long and wide, the dorsal line 

 ascending, straight, the sides convex, toward the end ascending and flattened, 

 the edges sharp and inclinate, the tip acute, with a sinus behind. Head 

 large, ovate; neck short and thick; body full and compact. Feet short, 

 rather stout; tibia bare for a very short space; tarsus very short, compressed, 

 anteriorly covered with oblique scutella; hind toe wanting; anterior toes 

 connected by entire webs, the third and fourth nearly equal. Claws rather 

 small, moderately arched, compressed, rather acute. Plumage dense, glossy, 

 blended. Wings of moderate length, narrow, pointed; the first quill longest, 

 secondaries rounded. Tail very short, slightly rounded, of twelve feathers. 



