Genus AMBLYPTERUS, Gould.
C h a r a c t e r e s G e n e r i c i .
Rostrum debile et elongatum. Nares elevata et rotundata. Rictus setis robustis instrudus, rostro longioribus. Alfe
truncatce ; remigibus externis sextis f e r ì eequalibus et falcatis ; remigibus secundo, tertio, quarto ad externim pogonium
emarginatisi septimo, octavo, nono ad apices elongatis et attenuatis, decimo abruptè brevi; secondariis brevissimi^,
rotundatis, tertiariisque elongatis, conditis. Cauda brevissima et quadrata. Pedes ambulatorii. Tarsi elongati,
graciles, squamis indistinctis anticè et postici fasciati ; digito intermedio longissimo et gracillimo ; digitis lateralibus
brevibus et eequalibus ; digito postico parvo, débili et libero ; unguibus elongatis, ungue medio pedinato.
AM B L Y P T B R U S ANOMALUS , Gould.
Amb. summo capite, corpore supra, et alls cinereo-fuscis, singulis plumis nigro irregulariter sparsis et maculatis; primariis
nigris, ad bases rubrescenti-cervinis, ad apices albis; secondariis cervinis, nigrescenti-fusco irregulariter fasciatis;
redricibus cauda cervinis, nigrescenti-fusco irregulariter fasciatis et maculatis; duabus centralibus cinereo-fuscis;
gutture, pectore, et abdomine ad partem superiorem nigrescenti-fuscis, singulis plumis cervino maculatis; abdomine imo
pallide cervino, singulis plumis nigrescenti-fusco transversim fasciatis; rostro fusco; pedibus pallid& fuscis.
Long. tot. 6-f- unc.; rostri, 1 ; ala, 5-f-; cauda, 3 ; tarsi,
A pale fawn-coloured stripe from the nostrils over each eye; crown of the head, back, and wings greyish b rown;
the centre of each feather irregularly dashed and spotted with b lack; primaries black, with the basal portion
reddish fawn colour, and the tips white; secondaries fawn colour, irregularly barred with blackish brown,
the tips being p a le r; two centre tail-feathers greyish brown, irregularly barred and speckled with blackish
brown; the remainder of the feathers fawn colour, irregularly barred with blackish brown, and speckled on
the intermediate spaces with the same colour, the whole largely tipped with light fawn; throat, chest, and
upper p a rt of the abdomen blackish brown, each feather on the chest having a longitudinal stripe of fawn
down the centre, the whole minutely speckled with fawn; lower p art of the abdomen light fawn colour,
each feather transversely barred with blackish brown; bill b rown; feet light brown.
Amblypterus anomalus, Gould, in Proc. of Zool. Soc. Part V. 1837, p. 105.
A s in g l e specimen o f this truly anomalous Goat-sucker forms p art of the collection o f the British Museum ;
it is the only one I have ever seen, and is, I believe, entirely new to science.
The only information I have been able to obtain respecting it is, th at Mr. J . E. Gray purchased the specimen
above mentioned from a collection o f skins a t Liverpool, which were said to be from Demerara.
The figure is o f the natural size.