WILSON'S STORM-PETREL. 457 



the end inflexed, so as to be almost in contact, the tip less 

 decurved than in any other species. 



The mouth is of moderate width, but dilatable ; the 

 palate convex, with four longitudinal papillate ridges behind, 

 and three before. The tongue, half an inch long, is triangular 

 and acuminate, at the base emarginate and serrulate, flat 

 above, with a slight medial groove. The oesophagus, for the 

 length of an inch and a-half, is three-twelfths wide, but on 

 entering the thorax expands into an enormous ovate sac, 

 two inches in length, and an inch and two-twelfths in its 

 greatest breadth. This sac, which is proventricular, is 

 studded all over with small roundish glandules, and curves 

 forward beneath, to end in a very diminutive muscular gizzard, 

 which is reversed in its position, its fundus being directed 

 forward. It is of an elliptical form, three-twelfths and a half 

 in length, and three-twelfths in breadth, muscular, with a 

 rugous epithelium, and, in short, a true gizzard. From its 

 left side comes off the intestine, which curves forward over 

 the fundus, then forms the usual duodenal loop, makes nine 

 turns, and, from above the proventiculus, passes directly to 

 the cloaca. Its width is at first a twelfth and three-fourths, 

 but beyond the middle it gradually contracts to three-fourths 

 of a twelfth ; its entire length fourteen inches. There ai'e no 

 coeca, but the cloaca is globular. 



The plumage is full, very soft, and blended ; the feathers 

 ovate, and distinct only on the wings, as in the other species. 

 The wings'are very long, extend, when closed, three-fourths 

 of an inch beyond the tail, and have twenty-four quills. The 

 primaries tapering, but rounded ; the third longest, the 

 second four-twelfths shorter, and exceeding the first by 

 eleven-twelfths ; the secondaries short, the outer incurved 

 and obliquely rounded. The tail is rather long, almost even, 

 of twelve broad rounded feathers, of which the outer are about 

 a twelfth of an inch longer than those in the middle. 



The feet are long and very slender; the tibia bare for 

 seven-twelfths of an inch ; the tarsus very slender, reticulate, 

 anteriorly with a long plate on which the divisions are very 

 obscure. The hind toe is so extremely minute as to be 

 scarcely perceptible, its claw resembling the tip of a small 



