TETRAO. GROUSE. 135 



aperture. The proventriculus is somewhat bulbiform, its glands 

 few, large, placed rather obliquely. Stomach a powerful giz- 

 zard, of a roundish, subrhomboidal form, with the two lateral 

 muscles transverse, the lower muscle thin, its tendinous fibres 

 passing under those of the rest ; the middle coat rather thin ; 

 the inner or cuticular strong, hard, longitudinally rugous. The 

 cardiac orifice is situated in a transverse depression, betw^een 

 the slight cardiac lobe and the ujDper edge of the lateral mus- 

 cle, and has no valvular apparatus. Intestine long, rather 

 wide, of nearly uniform diameter. Coeca extremely long, 

 wider than the intestine, cylindrical in the greater part of 

 their length. Rectum long, cylindrical. The intestine within 

 is beautifully marked with regular series of small depressions ; 

 towards the coeca are numerous roundish soft papillae disposed 

 in series ; there is a slight circular valve or margin at the com- 

 mencement of the rectum, w^hich is covered w^th mucous 

 crj^ts at its upper j^art, w4th rounded papillae at its lower, 

 and marked wdth faint longitudinal rugae. The cloaca is small, 

 and separated from the rectum by a circular valve. 



Nostrils basal, lateral, oblong or elliptical, with a thick 

 arched operculum, and concealed by the short feathers. Eyes 

 of moderate size ; eyelids feathered ; over the upper is a semi- 

 lunar space of bare skin, covered wdth papillae, and having a 

 thin fringed margin. External ear of moderate size, roundish, 

 its thick margin surrounded w^ith a circle of feathers. 



Head small, oblong, rather compressed. Neck rather short. 

 Body full and large. Legs rather short, strong ; tarsi covered 

 with feathers anteriorly and on the sides, behind with round- 

 ish scales, concealed by the feathers. The toes are rather small 

 and slender ; the first very small and elevated ; the second and 

 fourth of moderate length, and about equal ; the third much 

 longer ; the anterior connected at the base by a short scaly 

 membrane ; they are covered above with numerous trans- 

 versely elongated scutella, on each side of which is a single 

 row of squarish scales, then a marginal series of linear, flat- 

 tened, obtuse scales, projecting like the teeth of a comb. Claws 

 rather short, strong, considerably arched, obtuse, somewhat 

 compressed, flattened beneath. 



