_Scardafella_, BON. Conspectus, II, 1854, 85. (Type, _Columba
squamosa_, TEMM.)
[Illustration: =33658= ½ ½
_Scardafella inca._]
GEN. CHAR. Bill lengthened; culmen more than half the length of the
head measured from frontal feathers. Feet as in _Chamæpelia_. Wing
with the tertials nearly as long as the primaries; shorter, however,
than the first primary. Tail considerably longer than the wing, of
twelve feathers, of peculiar shape; the ten middle feathers nearly
even, or very slightly decreasing toward the sides, but the intermediæ
considerably shorter, while the lateral pair are much the shortest; the
feathers are narrow, especially toward the end, but the tip is obtuse.
Two species are known; one North American, the other confined to South
America.
Species and Varieties.
COMMON CHARACTERS. Brownish-gray above, paler, and with a vinaceous
cast anteriorly, beneath. Each feather with a terminal dusky
crescentic bar, producing a squamate appearance; inner webs of
quills chestnut; axillars black; about terminal half of three outer
tail-feathers white.
=S. squamosa.=[109] A white patch on the wing-coverts and
secondaries; abdomen and crissum white. Black crescentic bars very
heavy. Wing, 3.90; tail, 4.10. _Hab._ Brazil, Ecuador.
=S. inca.= No white patch on wings; abdomen and crissum pale
ochraceous. Black bars very faint on breast, obsolete on throat.
Wing, 3.75; tail, 4.40. _Hab._ Mexico and Guatemala; Rio Grande of
Texas.
Scardafella inca, BONAP.