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FRIGATE-BIRD. 
Genus III.— TACHYPETES, Vieill. FRIGATE-BIRD. 
Bill, longer than the head, strong, broader than high, unless towards the 
curved extremity ; upper mandible with its dorsal line slightly concave, at 
the tip decuxwed, its ridge broad and nearly flat at the base, narrowed and 
more convex towards the end, the sides separated from the ridge by a narrow 
groove, convex, the edges sharp, direct, irregularly jagged, with a promi- 
nence at the commencement of the curve at the elongated, compressed, 
tapering, decurved point ; lower mandible with the angle extremely long, 
narrow, the membrane bare and dilatable into a small pouch, the very short 
dorsal line decurved, the sides erect at the base, convex in the rest of their 
extent, the edges sharp, much inflected, irregularly jagged, at the tip narrow 
and decurved. Nostrils basal, linear, inconspicuous. Head of moderate 
size, oblong ; neck of moderate length, stout ; body rather slender. Feet 
very short, stout ; tibia very short ; tarsus extremely short, feathered ; toes 
all placed in the same plane, and connected by short deeply emarginate 
webs, which run out narrow along the sides, scutellate above, first small, 
second shorter than fourth, third much longer. Claws strong, compressed, 
curved, acute, that of the third toe long, with the inner edge pectinate. 
Plumage compact, glossy ; feathers of the head, neck, and back, lanceolate. 
"Wings extremely long, pointed, the first quill longest ; the rest rapidly 
diminishing ; secondaries very short, the inner long and tapering. Tail 
very long, deeply forked, of twelve feathers. Tongue exceedingly small, 
fleshy, flattened ; oesophagus very wide ; proventricular glands forming a 
complete belt ; stomach very small, roundish, its muscular coat thin, the 
inner soft and corrugated ; no pyloric lobe ; intestine of moderate length ; 
coeca extremely small ; cloaca globular. 
