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-tliirds 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 25f inches, to end of wings 25, to end of claws 32. 
