KHOBBED-BILLED PHALERIS. 
139 
is brownish-black ; the fore part and sides of the head streaked with linear, 
acuminate, elongated, white feathers ; the tips of the secondaries also white. 
The cheeks and a small portion of the throat at the base of the bill are 
dusky ; the lower parts white, mottled with dusky, the tips of the feathers 
being of that colour. 
Length to end of tail 6 inches ; bill along the ridge T 2 , excluding the 
outline of the knob, which is in height, and about the same length, along 
the edge of lower mandible T \ ; wing from flexure 4 ; tail 1^ ; tarsus ; 
inner toe T \, its claw T a ; middle toe }f, its claw f! ; outer toe -B, its 
claw T %. 
Genus IV.— MERGULUS, Ray. SEA-DOVE. 
Bill shorter than the head, stout, nearly straight, sub-pentagonal at the 
base, compressed towards the end ; upper mandible with the dorsal line 
convexo-declinate, the ridge convex, the sides sloping, the edges sharp and 
overlapping, the tip rather obtuse, nasal depression short and broad ; nostrils 
basal, oblong ; lower mandible with the angle long and wide, the dorsal line 
ascending, straight,- the sides convex, toward the end ascending and flattened, 
the edges sharp and inclinate, the tip acute, with a sinus behind. Head 
large, ovate ; neck short and thick ; body full and compact. Feet short, 
rather stout ; tibia bare for a very short space ; tarsus very short, compressed, 
anteriorly covered with oblique scutella ; hind toe wanting ; anterior toes 
connected by entire webs, the third and fourth nearly equal. Claws rather 
small, moderately arched, compressed, rather acute. Plumage dense, glossy, 
blended. Wings of moderate length, narrow, pointed ; the first quill longest, 
secondaries rounded. Tail very short, slightly rounded, of twelve feathers. 
