77 



TURDUS. THRUSH. 



Bill of moderate size, straight, slightly ascending, a little 

 broader than high at the base, com^sressed towards the end : 

 upper mandible with its dorsal outline slightly arched, the 

 ridge rather narrow but convex, the sides convex, the edges 

 sharp and slightly overlapping, with an obscure notch close to 

 the rather obtuse narrow tip ; lower mandible straight, the 

 angle medial and narrow, the crura having the sides sloping 

 outwards, the dorsal line slightly convex, the ridge narrow and 

 rounded, the sides convex, the edges sharp and inflected, the 

 tip narrow and rather acute ; the gape-line nearly straight. 



The mouth rather narrow ; the upper mandible internally 

 narrow, with a central prominent line ; the lower more deeply 

 concave, with a central line ; the palate nearly flat, with two 

 longitudinal ridges. The posterior aperture of the nares ob- 

 longo-linear, edged with small papillse, the lateral spaces slightly 

 inclined, and terminating behind in a flap beset with acicular 

 papillae. Tongue slightly extensile, sagittate and papillate at 

 the base, tapering, slender, concave above, its edges thin, and 

 beset with minute bristles directed forwards, the tip slit. The 

 oesophagus, PI. XIV, Fig. 2, rather narrow, of nearly uniform 

 diameter ; the proventriculus oblong, wuth short cylindrical 

 glandules. The stomach a gizzard of moderate strength, broadly 

 oblong, compressed ; its mviscular coat rather thick, with the 

 lateral and lower muscles distinct, and inserted into two rather 

 large tendons, of which the right is much larger ; the middle 

 coat thin; the inner or cuticular dense, tough, with longitudinal 

 rugae. Intestine of moderate length, its duodenal portion wider ; 

 the coeca very small, and cylindrical ; the rectum very short, 

 with a globular dilatation. 



Nostrils elliptical, direct, in the lower and fore part of the 

 nasal membrane, which is covered with short feathers. Eyes 

 of moderate size ; the eyelids feathered, their edges bare and 

 crenate. External aperture of the ear rather large, and roundish. 



