218 



MOTACILLA. WAGTAIL. 



Bill of moderate length, slender, straight, broader than high 

 at the base, compressed towards the end ; upper mandible with 

 the dorsal outline slightly declinate at the base, very slightly 

 declinato-arcuate towards the end, the ridge narrow at the base, 

 the nasal depression being large, the sides towards the end con- 

 vex and incurved, the edges slightly inflected and overlapping, 

 soft and rounded at the base, sharp in the rest of their extent, 

 with an obscure notch close to the tip, which is slightly decli- 

 nate, narrow, and rounded ; lower mandible with the angle of 

 moderate length, narrow, and obtuse, the dorsal outline slightly 

 ascending, straight, the back flattened at the base, narrow and 

 convex in the rest of its extent, the sides erect, and slightly 

 convex, the edges slightly inclinate and sharp ; the gape-line 

 straight, a little deflected at the base. 



The u])per mandible is concave and narrow within, with a 

 central prominent line ; the palate flat, with two prominent 

 ridges ; the posterior aperture of the nares oblongo-linear, and 

 edged with small pointed papilla?. The lower mandible is very 

 narrow, and concave, with a median prominent line. The 

 tongue is very slender, sagittate at the base, and finely papil- 

 late, tapering to a slit point. The oesophagus is of moderate 

 width, nearly equal throughout, without crop or remarkable 

 dilatation ; the proventriculus oblong, with oblong glandules. 

 The stomach is a gizzard of considerable power, oblong, com- 

 pressed ; its muscular coat thick, its muscles distinct, the ten- 

 dons large ; the inner coat of moderate thickness, and inter- 

 nally smooth. Intestine short, thin, of moderate width ; the 

 cooca very small and cylindrical ; the rectum very short, with 

 an oblong dilatation. Plate XIII, Fig. 5. 



Nostrils direct, perforate, small, elliptical, in the lower and 

 fore part of the nasal depression, Avhich is large, and feathered. 



