UPLAND SHOOTING. 
275 
close to the tip. Nasal groove broad, and extending to two- 
thirds of the length of the bill. Nostrils linear, lateral, sub- 
medial, pervious. Lower mandible with the angle long and 
narrow, the sides erect, the dorsal line sloping upward, the 
edges inflected, the tip narrowed, the gap line straight. 
“ Head rather small, oblong, compressed. Neck of moderate 
length. Body rather slender, much compressed. Feet of mod¬ 
erate length, rather stout; tibia bare a short way above the 
joint; tarsus of ordinary length, compressed, anteriorly covered 
with broad scutella, posteriorly with smaller, and on the sides 
reticulated. Hind toe very short and slender, middle toe 
longest, and longer than the tarsus, fourth considerably shorter 
than the third, and a little longer than the second; toes free, 
scutellate above, much compressed, with an inferior sharp 
margin. Claws rather long, exceedingly compressed, slightly 
arched, tapering to a fine point, flat, and marginate beneath. 
“ Plumage rather stiff, but blended, slightly glossed above. 
Feathers of the forehead with the shaft enlarged and slightly 
extended beyond the tip. Wings short and broad. Alula 
large ; primaries curved, broad, tapering, but rounded, second 
longest, third scarcely shorter, first equal to sixth; secondaries 
broad and rounded. Tail extremely short, much rounded, of 
twelve feeble rounded feathers; the upper and lower tail cov¬ 
erts nearly as long as the tail feathers. 
“ Bill, yellow at the base, dusky toward the end. Iris bright 
chestnut. Feet yellowish-green ; claws light-brown. A broad 
band surrounding the base of the bill, the central part of the 
crown, the chin, and the fore-neck in its whole length, brown¬ 
ish-black. Ear coverts olive-brown ; a band over the pye, the 
cheeks and the sides of the neck ash-grey. Sides of the crown, 
the hind-neck, and the rest of the upper parts olive-brown. The 
feathers brownish-black in the centre, those on the back with 
two marginal lines of white. Smaller wing coverts of a lighter 
brown; secondary coverts margined with black and white 
markings ; quills dusky olive-brown, as is the tail. Middle of 
breast and abdomen greyish-white ; sides barred with brownish 
