586 ANSER. GOOSE. 



series of scattered papilla?. The tongue is fleshy, thick, 

 rather narrow, convex, with a deep median groove above, 

 furnished with straight suh-acicular papilla? at the base, 

 laterally margined with numerous slender, acuminate, re- 

 versed, horny papilla? ; its tip thin, concave, rounded, and 

 horny. (Esophagus long, narrow, with the lower part en- 

 larged ; the glandular belt broad. Stomach an extremely 

 developed, oblique, transversely elliptical gizzard, of which 

 the lateral muscles are excessively thick, their tendons large 

 and radiated, the lower muscle narrow and prominent, the 

 epithelium forming two circular, very thick, smoothish, 

 marginally grooved, slightly concave, grinding plates. The 

 intestine is long, rather narrow, arranged in about ten or 

 twelve oblique folds ; the cceca long, slender at the base, 

 then of moderate width, somewhat narroAved toward the 

 end, which is obtuse. 



The trachea, of numerous broad, considerably flattened 

 rings, enlarges a little toward the furcular space, where it 

 forms a slight curve, then contracts, and becomes much 

 compressed at the end ; the bronchi very short and wide. 



Nostrils moderate, oblong, sub-medial, in the lower and 

 fore part of the nasal groove. Eyes small, eyelids feathered, 

 with bare crenulate margins. Aperture of ear rather small. 

 Feet rather short or moderate, strong, placed well forward, 

 so that the body is nearly horizontal ; tibia bare for a very 

 short space ; tarsus moderately compressed, reticulated with 

 small angular scales. Hind toe very small, elevated, thick 

 and scabrous beneath ; anterior toes rather long, the outer 

 little shorter than the third, the second considerably shorter; 

 all scaly at the base, but with numerous scutella in the rest 

 of their extent ; the interdigital membranes reticulate, full, 

 the outer more or less emarginate, the second or inner toe 

 with a narrow, slightly two-lobed marginal web. Claws 

 short, arched, rather compressed, obtuse, that of the third 

 toe curved outwards, with the inner side expanded and the 

 tip rounded. 



Plumage full, close, firm, unless on the head and neck. 

 Feathers of the head very small and oblong; of the neck 

 narrow, arranged in oblique series into ridges and grooves, 



