Genus— M E N U R A. 
Menura Latham, Suppl. Index Omith., p. bci., 
1801 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Type M. novcehollandice. 
Also spelt — 
Mcenura Dumont, Diet. Sci. Nat. (Levrault), Vol. XXX., p. 60, 1824. 
Parhinsonius Bechstein, Kurze Uebers Vogel., p. 134, 
1811 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Type M. novcehollandice. 
Large birds with long biUs, rounded wings, peculiar tails and strong legs 
and feet. 
The bill is long, narrow and flattened, with the culmen very strongly 
keeled, the sides membranous towards base. The nostrils are long narrow 
pervious shts placed anteriorly in a groove, which extends about two-thirds 
the length of the biU : the tip shghtly decurved, the base of the bill 
hidden by projecting bristly feathers. The lower mandible very flattened, 
the rami straight, the interramal space feathered. 
Wings much rounded, the first primary about half the length of the 
fourth, which is longer than second and third, but subequal with the 
remaining primaries and not exceeding the longest secondaries. 
The tail consists of sixteen feathers, which show pecuhar development 
in many ways. The plate here given will show these much better than 
a long description, but it may be pointed out that the pecuhar notched 
appearance of the inner-webs of the outer tail-feathers is due to lack 
of barbules on the barbs, which are present, but at first sight appear 
absent. 
The legs are very long and strong, strongly scuteUate with sis large 
scutes in front and behind. The toes very long and subequal, the hind 
toe shorter, but claw much longer, the claws long and straight. 
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