426 PARUS FRINGILLAGO. 



dibles have internally a median elevated line, that of the upper 

 divided at the base. The palate is flat ; the posterior aperture 

 of the nares linear, and edged with papillae. The tongue is 

 short, of nearly equal breadth in its whole length, sagittate at 

 the base, the tip truncate and terminated by four bristles. The 

 oesophagus is of nearly uniform diameter, without dilatation, 

 of moderate width, two inches long ; the proventriculus with 

 short glandules. The stomach is roundish, a little compressed, 

 seven-twelfths long, its muscular coat rather thin, its tendons 

 round, the cuticular lining rugous. The intestine is six inches 

 long, of moderate width ; the coeca cylindrical, a twelfth and 

 a half long. 



The eyes are small, their aperture measuring a twelfth and 

 a half ; that of the ears two and a half twelfths. The feet are of 

 moderate length, and rather stout ; the tarsus compressed ; with 

 seven anterior scutella ; the toes rather large, compressed ; 

 the first much stouter, with eight scutella, the second with 

 ten, the third thirteen, the fourth twelve scutella ; the second 

 considerably shorter than the fourth. The claws are long, 

 much compressed, laterally grooved, arched, very acute, that of 

 the hind toe much larger. 



The plumage is very soft and blended, more dense and 

 glossy on the head, downy on the rump and middle of the back, 

 where it is very much elongated. The wings are of moderate 

 length, curved, broad, much rounded, of nineteen quills ; the 

 first very short, the second four twelfths of an inch shorter than 

 the third, which is one twelfth shorter than the fourth, and 

 not quite so long as the fifth, which is but slightly longer than 

 the sixth ; the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, are slightly cut 

 out on the outer web. All the quills are rounded, but the 

 secondaries have a slight acumen. The wings when closed 

 extend to one third of the length of the tail. The tail is rather 

 long, slightly rounded, of twelve narrow slightly arched, rounded 

 feathers. 



The bill is black, its edges dusky horn-colour. The irides 

 are brown. The tarsi and toes greyish-blue, the claws dark- 

 brown. The feathers of the head and fore part of the neck are 

 black, glossed with blue ; that colour also forms a transverse 



