MODIFICATIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 5 



the oesophagus, although funnel-shaped is narrow ; the sto- 

 mach muscular, its external fibres being arranged into several 

 series, and forming three muscles, two lateral, and an inferior, 



which however are not very distinct ; the middle coat is dense, 

 as in the Cuckoos and Goatsuckers, and the inner is a decided 

 horny epithelium, longitudinally plaited. The intestine is 

 rather long and of moderate width ; the cceca very small, and 

 the cloaca oblong or globular. 



In the Shrikes, Fig. 102, the oesophagus has no decided di- 

 latation ; the stomach is roundish or elliptical ; its muscular 

 coat rather thin ; its epithelium dense, and rugous ; the intes- 

 tine rather short and of moderate width ; the coeca very small ; 

 the cloaca oblong or globular. In the Thrushes, Fig. 103, 

 the parts are similar, but the stomach is more muscular, its 

 fibres distinguished into lateral and inferior muscles. In the 

 Nuthatches, Fig. 104, the stomach is similar to that of the 



