BOBICIPINiE. SYLBEOCYCLUS. 
205 
Nostrils submedial, linear-oblong. Eyes rather small ; a 
bare space from the eye to the bill. Aperture of ear ex- 
tremely small. Feet large ; tibia long, but enveloped, un- 
less at the end ; tarsus short, extremely compressed, anteri- 
orly with small scutella, posteriorly with two series of small, 
prominent, pointed scales, directed downwards, the sides with 
broad scutella ; hind toe small, with broad margins ; an- 
terior toes long, obliquely flattened, the outer longest, all 
with lateral expansions, and connected by webs at the base ; 
claws small, depressed, oblong, third pectinato-serrate at the 
end. Plumage very soft and blended, on the lower parts 
silky ; scapulars very long and decurved ; wings small, nar- 
row, convex, the outer two quills longest ; tail a slight tuft 
of downy plumelets. The species are extremely active, dive 
and swim with amazing celerity, and feed on small fishes, 
aquatic coleoptera, helices, and seeds. 
275. Sylbeocyclus Europjeus. European Dabchick. 
Male about ten inches long, with the bill ten-twelfths in 
length, stout, compressed, black, with the tips pale ; head and 
neck tuftless ; tarsus with the posterior scales very promi- 
nent ; upper part of the head and throat black ; sides and 
fore part of the neck chestnut ; breast and sides of the body 
dusky ; upper parts greenish-black ; primary quills greyish- 
brown, most of the secondaries white, unless on the outer 
web toward the end. Female similar to the male, but smal- 
ler. Young with the lower mandible and basal sides of the 
upper pale-brown, the upper part dusky ; the head and hind 
neck brownish-grey, the cheeks and sides of the neck pale- 
reddish, mixed with brown ; the fore part of the breast and 
sides of the body light-yellowish-brown, the rest of the lower 
parts and the throat white ; the upper parts dusky, the fore 
part of the back and the scapulars greyish-yellow. Indivi- 
duals vary considerably in colour, the lower parts in particu- 
lar being more or less dusky. 
Male, 10, 17; 4, I Female, 9^. 
The Dabchick floats, swims, dives, and, as I have ascer- 
tained from observation, flies under water, with astonishing 
ease and activity. When surprised, it eludes its enemy by 
slipping beneath the surface, and not appearing until a good 
way off. It is seldom seen to fly, but on wing it proceeds in 
a direct course, with great speed. When frightened it sinks 
eo as to leave exposed nothing but the head. Its food con- 
