Genus SPHENOSTOMA, Gould. 



CHARACTERES GENERICI. 



Rostrum breve, durum, lateraliter compressum, et cuneiforme ; nares basales, rotundata, opertce ; rictus 

 rectus ; mandibuld superiore haud dentatd ; setis delicatis ad basin sparsis. Alae perbreves et ro- 

 tundatce, remigibus quarto, quinto, et sexto fere cequalibus et longissimis. Cauda elongata, et gra- 

 data. Tarsi mediocres, robusti ; antice squamis tecti ; postice Iceves. Pedes breves ; digito postico 

 valido, digitis externis incequalibus, interno brevissimo. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Bill very short, hard, compressed laterally, and wedge-shaped ; nostrils basal, round, open ; tomia 

 straight ; upper mandible without a notch at the tip ; two or three fine hairs at the base of the bill ; 

 wing very short and round, the fourth, fifth, and sixth quills nearly equal and the longest ; tail long 

 and graduated ; tarsi moderately long and strong, shielded before with several plates, entire behind ; 

 toes short, hind toe strong, lateral toes unequal, the inner one the shortest. 



SPHENOSTOMA CRISTATUM, Gould. 



Sphen. capite plumis angustis acutis antice curvatis cristato ; corpore supra et subtus omnind fusco ; 

 abdomine medio cinerescenti-albo ; caudd fused ; rectricibus tribus externis utrinque ad apicem 

 albis ; rostro nigrescente ; pedibus plumbeis. 



Long. tot. 8 unc. ; rostri, ^ ; alee, 3^ ; caudce, ; tarsi, J. 



Head furnished with a crest of narrow, elongated feathers bent slightly forwards ; the whole of the 

 upper and under surface brown, except the centre of the abdomen, which is greyish white ; tail long, 

 graduated, and of a dark brown, with the three outer feathers largely tipped with white ; bill blackish 

 brown ; feet lead colour. 



Syn. Sphenostoma cristatum, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, Part V., 1837- 



Remarh This species is closely allied to Struthidea* 



Habitat Australia : locality, New South Wales. 



