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Genus I. — LESTRIS, llliger. JAGER. 
Bill shorter than the head, strong, slightly compressed, straight, with the 
tip curved ; upper mandible with the dorsal line nearly straight, toward the 
tip decurved, the ridge broad and convex, formed by two plates, which 
overlap the nostrils, the sides narrow and convex, the edges sharp and 
inflected, the tip or unguis decurved, compressed, acute ; nasal groove long, 
narrow ; the nostrils in its fore part medial, lateral, longitudinal, broad be- 
fore, extremely narrow behind, open and pervious ; lower mandible with the 
angle long and narrow, a slight prominence at its extremity, beyond which 
the dorsal line is slightly concave, the sides erect, and slightly convex, the 
edges sharp and inflected, the tip obliquely truncate. Head rather large ; 
neck of moderate length ; body rather fill. Feet of moderate length, rather 
stout ; tibia bare at its lower part, and rough all round, with small convex 
scales ; tarsus compressed behind and scabrous, anteriorly scutellate ; hind 
toe extremely small and elevated ; fore toes of moderate size, connected by 
convex webs, the third toe longest, the fourth little shorter. Claws strong, 
much curved, very acute, compressed. Plumage full, soft, blended, on the 
back rather compact. Wings very long, rather broad, pointed, the first quill 
longest. Tail of moderate length, or elongated, of twelve feathers, of 
which the middle are longest. Tongue broadly channelled above, contracted 
and induplicate toward the end, with the point slit ; oesophagus very wide ; 
stomach small, moderately muscular, with the epithelium thin, dense, and 
longitudinally rugous ; intestine rather short and wide ; coeca rather long ; 
cloaca oblong. 
