Puffinus obscurus, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 371.
Dusky Petrel, Lath. Synops. vol. iv. p. 416.—Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 337.
Adult Male. Plate CCXCIX.
Bill about the length of the head, straight, somewhat cylindrical, the tips curved. Nostrils tubular, separate, inclosed in a horny sheath, and dorsal, the outline straight, curved on the unguis, the sides nearly erect, convex, the edges sharp, hard, and inflected, the tip decurved, strong. Lower mandible straight, the angle very narrow and extending nearly to the tip, the dorsal line beyond it decurved, the sides convex and inclining inwards, the edges sharp and inflected.
Head of moderate size. Neck of ordinary length; body ovate. Feet stout; tibia bare a short way above the joint; tarsus of moderate length, rather stout, reticulate; hind toe a very slight knob, with a small conical claw; fore toes long, slender, connected by reticulated webs with concave margins, the outer toe slightly longer than the third. Claws small, slightly arched, compressed obtuse.
Plumage soft, full; the feathers rounded, those of the back and wings rather compact. Wings long; primaries tapering, rounded, the first longest, the rest rapidly graduated; secondaries of moderate length, rounded. Tail rather short, much rounded, of twelve feathers.
Bill light blue, the tips black, mouth light blue. Edges of eyelids light blue, iris bluish-black. Outside of tarsus and toes indigo-black, inside and webs pale yellowish-flesh-colour; claws bluish-black. The upper parts are sooty black, the lower pure white.
Length to end of tail 11 inches, to end of wings 10 1/2, to end of claws 11 1/4; extent of wings 26 1/2; bill along the back 1 4/12, along the edge of lower mandible 1 3/4; tarsus 1 1/2; outer toe 2, its claw 2 1/2/12.
THE GOLDEN PLOVER.
Charadrius pluvialis, Linn.
PLATE CCC. Adult in Spring and in Winter, and variety.