634 CAPRIMULGUS EUROPiEUS. 



of which it is therefore needless to present more than those 

 which are more remarkable or distinctive. Its size is about 

 that of the JNIissel Thrush ; but although it appears bulky, its 

 body when deprived of feathers is not larger than that of a 

 Song Thrush ; the head is very broad and depressed ; the nos- 

 trils inconspicuous, linear-oblong, marginate, and less than a 

 twelfth of an inch in length ; the eyes very large, their aper- 

 ture five twelfths of an inch ; that of the ear half an inch long. 

 The bill is short, A^ery slender, more feeble than that of any 

 other British bird. The mouth is of extreme width, measur- 

 ing an inch across. The tongue extremely small, slender, slight- 

 ly papillate at the base, having also some papillae on its upper 

 surface, tapering to an obtuse point, its breadth three-fourths 

 of a twelfth, its length two twelfths and a half. The roof of 

 the mouth is nearly flat, anteriorly concave, singularly trans- 

 parent. The oesophagus which is very thin, is two inches and 

 seven twelfths long, very wide, its diameter being nine-twelfths 

 at the upper, and four-twelfths at the lower part. The stomach 

 is very large, round, a little flattened, an inch in diameter ; its 

 muscular coat very thin, and composed of a single series of 

 fasciculi ; its epithelium very hard, with prominent longitu- 

 dinal rugae. The intestine is extremely thin, nine inches long, 

 from three twelfths to a twelfth and a half in width ; the coeca 

 an inch and eight-twelfths long, narrow at the base, enlarging 

 toward the end into an oblong sac, of which the greatest width 

 is four twelfths. The trachea is two inches and seven-twelfths 

 in length, a twelfth and three-fourths in its greatest breadth, 

 of eighty-five rings and five dimidiate rings ; without inferior 

 laryngeal muscles ; the bronchi of about twelve rings. Plate 

 XXII. 



The tarsi have about six scutella below ; the first toe, which is 

 very small, and directed inwards, has six, the second nine, the 

 third fourteen, the fourth ten scutella. The claw of the middle 

 toe, Fig. 273, has about ten teeth, but frequently the tip is broken, 

 so that the teeth are reduced to six or seven. The plumage is 

 very soft and blended ; the feathers generally broad and round- 

 ed. The bristles at the base of the bill are strong, tapering to 

 a fine point, and flattened. The wings, which are very long, 



