SCOLOPACEOUS COURLAN. 183 



narrow, the dorsal line slightly convex, the edges obtuse, becoming sharp 

 towards the end. Nasal groove nearly half the length of the bill; nostrils 

 direct, linear, long. 



Head rather small, oblong, compressed. Eyes rather large. Neck long 

 and slender. Body ovato-oblong, much compressed. Feet very long and 

 slender, rather stout; tibia bare in its lower half, which is anteriorly covered 

 with hexagonal scales, posteriorly with transverse scutella; tarsus long, com- 

 pressed, anteriorly with numerous broad scutella, laterally with very small 

 elongated scales, posteriorly with large scutelliform scales, many of which 

 are divided; toes long, rather slender; hind toe small and elevated; fourth 

 considerably longer than second, middle toe nine-twelfths of an inch longer 

 than the outer; the anterior toes are divided to the base, compressed, scutel- 

 late above, scaly on the sides, papillate beneath, compressed and not mar- 

 ginate. Claws of moderate length, very slightly arched, compressed, 

 tapering to a point; that of the first toe smallest, of the third largest, without, 

 serratures on the inner edge, which is thin and a little expanded. 



Plumage of ordinary texture, rather compact and glossy on the upper 

 parts, blended on the lower; feathers on the head and neck short, oblong; on 

 the back ovate and very broadly rounded. Wings of moderate length, very 

 broad, concave, rounded; primaries broad, secondaries very broad and 

 rounded; first primary two-thirds of the length of the second, which is ten- 

 twelfths shorter than the third; the fourth, which is longest, exceeds the 

 third by one-twelfth, and the fifth by half a twelfth; some of the seconda- 

 ries reach to half an inch of the tip of the longest primary when the wing 

 is closed; the three outer quills are narrower toward the base than toward 

 the extremity, more especially the first. The tail is short, broad, convex, 

 rounded, of twelve broad, rounded feathers. 



Bill greenish-yellow, dusky toward the end of both mandibles, but espe- 

 cially of the upper; iris hazel; feet lead-grey, claws dusky. The general 

 colour of the plumage is chocolate-brown, the upper parts glossed with 

 purple and bronze reflections; the fore part of the head paler, inclining to 

 grey, each feather with a greyish-white central line; the sides of the head 

 and the throat are still lighter, and a small portion of the throat is whitish, 

 these parts being streaked with greyish-brown and greyish-white; the lower 

 eyelid white. The hind part and sides of the neck are marked with elliptical 

 spots of white in regular series, there being one on each feather, some of 

 them extending forwards to the posterior angle of the eye. Some of the 

 feathers on the middle of the breast and the lower wing-coverts are similarly 

 marked with lanceolate white spots; the tail is more highly glossed and 

 coloured than the rest of the upper parts. 



Length to end of tail 25§ inches, to end of wings 25, to end of claws 32, 



