fO NOTE ON THE 



J 



Sp. — Eur. Griseus. Wilson. (Plate IX.) 



Eurinorynchus, grey above, white beneath, black bill. 



Platalea Pi/gmcea, Linn. System. Nat. Edit. 12, vol. 1. p. 231, Gmel. 

 Syst. Nat. Edit. 13, vol. 1. p. 615, Latham Gen. Hist. vol. 9. p. 7, Shaw 

 Gen. Zool., vol. 11. p. 645, Eurinorynchus Griseus, Wils.Thun. Acad. Suec. 

 1816, pi. 6, (as quoted in Griffith's Regne. Animal, Edit. 1829,) vol. 1 . p. 528, 

 Griffith's Cuvier, vol. 8. p. 383, Temminck's Manual, vol. 2. p. 594. 



Sp. Ch. — Size that of a sandpiper. Length, from tip of the bill to the 

 end of the tail, 6 inches ; length of the bill ^ inch. Breadth, from tip to 

 tip of the wings, 11 inches. Bill, both above and below entirely black, 

 dilated at the tip to the breadth of ^ inch ; it consists at the base for two- 

 thirds of its length of a central keel or ridge, flattened at the top, which is 

 continued to the tip, and narrow margins, altogether about yVV i^ich in 

 breadth : At the anterior third, the margins become dilated on each side, 

 having a sharp angular projection in front, and the sides sloping off poste- 

 riorly so as to form a rhomboidal tip, the dilated part of the upper mandible 

 being somewhat convex above, and concave below. Within the mouth, the 

 upper mandible is margined all round the tip, and down the sides ; whilst 

 along the middle there is a sulcus, corresponding to the keel above, furnish- 

 ed with small conical, sharp projections, to enable the bird to secure its 

 prey. Under mandible in form like the upper, but with a somewhat smaller 

 dilated end, fitting in when the bill is closed within the margin of its anta- 

 gonist ; having a membranous fossa between the rami for two-thirds of its 

 length, as far as their junction ; and from thence to the tip a central angu- 

 lar keel, or ridge, with the sides dilated like those of the upper mandible. 

 Within the mouth the lower mandible is furnished all round with a 

 slightly elevated margin ; and has a broad deep central fossa, for the 

 reception of the tongue. In the dried specimen the tongue is black with a 

 white tip, and it extends forward from the base of the bill ^ inch ; and 

 appears to have been rather broad and fleshy, and as long as the bill. 



