186 



DE. P. CHALMEES MITCHELL ON THE 



SPHENISCIFOEMES. 



I have already described and figured the intestinal tract o^ Eudyptes (26. fig. 6). I 

 now am able to add descriptions of tbe condition in Sj^heniscMs demersus (fig. 7) and 

 Aptenodytes Pennanti (fig. 8). In all three the intestine is extremely long and of 



Fig. (3. 



X 



Intestinal Tract of Tavhyhaptes fluviatilis. Lettering as before. 



slender calibre with firm walls; in the fignres the actual length is somewhat under- 

 estimated, so that the " cori-ection " for piscivorous diet has been made partially. The 

 three portions of the tract are well marked and are each drained by a characteristic 

 factor of the portal vein. The duodenum is extremely long ; it is thrown into a 

 complicated set of minor loops resembling the condition in the fish-eating Eagles, in 

 Eudyj)tes and Spheniscus ; in Aptenodytes it forms a loosely rolled spiral, a mode of 

 packing increased length that is not at all uncommon among birds and that must 

 be regarded as a mrdtiradial apocentricity. Meckel's tract in all three is moderately 

 specialized ; Meckel's diverticulum lies nearly at the middle of its course, but there is a 

 strong tendency for the numerous minor loops to be extended in length or expanded 



