230 



DE. P. CHALMEES MITCHELL ON THE 



CHAEADRIIFOEMES. 



L I M I C O L iE. 



CHAKADRiiDiK. — I bave already described and figured tbe conformation of tbe intes- 

 tinal tract in the Curlew {Numenms arquata, 26. fig. 15). Tbe duodenum is straight 

 and narrow. Meckel's tract is more archecentric than in the Gruiformes, inasmuch as 

 the minor loops arc not well separated from tbe general course of the gut. None the 

 less, such minor loops exist, and markedly recall the common Gruiform type, altbougli 

 Ibc condition is less apocentric. There are three main loops corresponding to " «,"' " b," 

 and " c " of the Gruiform gut, and, as in that assemblage, " b " the axial loop bears on 

 its distal limb a very large Meckel's diverticulum. The distal part of tbe Tract consists 



.Fix. 49. 



Tntestinal Tract"- of Tringa alpina. Lettering as in fig. 41. 



of a supra-duodenal loop not well separated from the general outline of tbe Tract, but 

 drained by a " bridging" vein, and having closely attached to it the pair of long caeca. 

 The rectum is rather short and straight. Tbe condition in Himantopus is similar to this 

 but still more archecentric — that is to say, the loops are still less marked off from the 

 general sweep of Meckel's tract. Vanellus milg aris and V. cayennensis are like Numenius. 

 In Tringa alpina (fig. 49) a simple modifica tion of the Ktmieniiis condition is presented. 

 Loop " b " of Meckel's tract has grown out axiallv, leaving the large diverticulum at its 



