320 SPARROWS AND ALLIED SPECIES. 



drical glandules. The stomach, e, /, g, h, is a powerful gizzard, 

 roundish, compressed, with two strong lateral muscles, e, /, 

 having radiated tendons, a lower thin muscle, g ; and a dense, 

 tough, and longitudinally rugous inner coat. The intestine, A, 

 ^, j, k, /, w, n, is of moderate length, of nearly equal diameter 

 throughout, and having near its extremity two very small, ad- 

 nate, cylindrical coeca, I. The figure referred to above represents 

 the digestive organs of the House Sparrow ; but Figs. 3 and 4, 

 representing those of the Green Linnet and Crossbill, shew the 

 same parts, and are marked with the same letters. 



The eyes are of moderate size ; the eyelids feathered, their 

 edges bare and crenate. External ear large, oval. Nostrils 

 nearly circular, basal, in the fore part of the nasal depression, 

 which is very short and broad. 



The legs are short ; the tarsus compressed, covered anteriorly 

 with about seven scutella, posteriorly with a long plate forming 

 a sharp edge, and inferior rugse. Toes slender, compressed, 

 scutellate above, granulate beneath, three before, one behind ; 

 second and fourth shortest and equal, first a little longer if the 

 claws be included, but otherwise shorter, third much longer, 

 and united to the fourth as far as the second joint of the latter. 

 Claws longish,- slender, acute, arcuate, compressed, laterally 

 grooved. 



The plumage is soft and blended, the feathers rounded, with 

 a very slender plumule of a few long barbs ; those at the base 

 of the bill with short bristle points. The wings are broad, 

 semicordate, of moderate length ; the primary quills ten, the 

 secondary about seven ; the three outer longest, but varying in 

 relative length. Tail of moderate length, of twelve feathers, 

 the lateral slightly bent outwards. 



The skeleton of these birds is of rather delicate structure, 

 the flat bones being extremely thin. The cranium is propor- 

 tionally very large, of great breadth behind, and rounded ; the 

 jaws short, the lower with a large oblong aperture in the ramus, 

 and slightly bent beyond the middle ; the septum between the 

 orbits very incomplete. The cervical vertebrae are generally 

 nine, and proportionally slender ; the dorsal eight, and rarely 

 anchylosed ; the united lumbar and sacral ten ; the coccygeal 



