REPORT ON THE BIRDS— APPENDIX. 



153 



but, as in most Carpophagine birds, is small, and has its muscular walls comparatively ill-developed. 

 No stones of any kind were found in it. 



It is the epithelial lining which is so peculiar in Carpophaga latrans. Instead of being smooth, 

 or folded into plications, as is usually the case, its surface is raised into horny cones which closely 

 resemble in appearance the tubercles for the attachment of the spines of the Echinoderm genus 

 Oidaris. In fig. 1, a, the interior of the gizzard is represented; fig. 1, b, is a section of one of the 

 cones resting upon the muscular gizzard-wall. 



These conical processes are corneous throughout, are erect, and are quite transparent when cut 

 into sections. There are twenty-three of them, large and small, in each of my specimens. The larger 

 ones, which are the more numerous, average seven millimetres in diameter at their bases, their axial 

 length being about four millimetres ; the smallest cone is four millimetres across and of nearly the 

 same height. 



The cones are arranged, close to one another, in a fairly regular manner upon the. muscle-masses, 

 being distributed in rows of three, counting either transversely or longitudinally. This disposes of 

 eighteen of the twenty-three cones. The remaining five are found on the tendinous intermuscular 

 walls of the organ, in longitudinal rows, two in one row, three in the other. 



Fig. 1. 

 Interior of the Gizzard of Carpophaga lalrans. 



Fig. 2. 

 Syrinx of Carpophaga lalrans. 



A section of any one of the cones demonstrates that it is not in the least ossified, but corneous 

 throughout, and of about the density of ox-horn. It is also seen that the attached surface of the 

 epithelium does not participate in the undulations of the free, surface, being quite smooth. Neither 

 does it send any processes into the cones. Between the cones the epithelium is yielding, and only 

 semicoma ius. 



A still further exaggeration of this abnormal condition of the epithelium of the gizzard of 

 Carpophaga latrans has been described by AIM. Jules Verreaux, and 0. Des Murs in Phcmorhina 

 goliath 1 of New Caledonia, which " se nonrrit de graines de semicarpum." In this bird " le gosier, 

 deja on ne pent plus musculeux par lui-meme, a sa surface interieure regulierement recouverte . . . 

 de pointes veritablement osseuses, rappelant la forme de celles qui se voient a la surface du corps de 

 la Raia bouclee, ou C/avel, ou Clavelade. Ces pointes, en cone aplati, out leur base, plane de 5 millim. 

 de diametre, d'une hauteur de 5 a 6 mill., sont legerement incliuees sur ellesmemes, et quelquefois 

 recourbees par la dessication, l'extremite en etant mousse." A central fibrous peduncle is also said to 

 run through each osseous element. 



(ZOOL. CHALL. EXIV 



1 Revue et Magasin de Zoologie, 1862, p. 168. 

 -PART VIII— 1880.) 



H 20 



