Birds of America
By John James Audubon, F. R. SS. L. & E.
VOLUME V.
GENUS II.--APHRIZA, Aud. SURF-BIRD.
Bill a little shorter than the head, rather stout, compressed, tapering,
straightish, being recurvate in a slight degree; upper mandible with the dorsal
line straight, and a little declinate as far as the middle, then concave, and
towards the end convex, the nasal grooves extending to near the end, the ridge
rather broad and flattened, the tip compressed and bluntish; lower mandible with
the angle rather long and narrow, the dorsal line ascending, and slightly
convex, the sides grooved for half their length, convex toward the end, the tip
narrowed, but blunt. Nostrils sun-basal, linear, near the margin. Head rather
small, ovate, rounded in front; neck of ordinary length; body rather full. Feet
of moderate length, rather stout; tibia bare at the lower part, and reticulated;
tarsus roundish, with small angular scales all round, those on the fore part
larger; toes four, with numerous scutella, the first very small, and placed
higher, the anterior toes free to the base, distinctly margined on both edges,
flat beneath, the inner considerably shorter than the outer. Claws rather
small, curved, compressed, blunted. Plumage full, soft, rather dense, on the
neck and lower parts blended. Wings very long, narrow, and pointed; first
primary longest, inner secondaries much elongated. Tail rather short, even, of
twelve moderately broad feathers. Name from ['Aphroz], foam; and [xao], to
live.