INTESTINAL TEACT OF BIRDS. 



245 



COEACIIFORMES. 



C o R A c r ^. 

 CoRACiiD-E.— I liave examined the intestinal tract of Leplosoma (species ?) and of 

 Corocim gan-ulu (fig. 62). In both, which are practically identical, the duodenum is a 



Fig. 62. 



S.D.f 



Intestinal Tract of Cordcias r/arrula. 



short loop relatively rather \\ ido. Meckel's tract is llirowii into two rather wide loops 

 which are separated by the diverticulum, the latter being conspicuous in Lepiosoma, 

 and only faintly indicated by a trace of a ventral mesentery in Conicias. The distal 

 loop is a supra-duodenal loop to which the long c;eca are attached. The rectum is 

 relatively short, wide, and straiijht. 



MoMOTiii-K.— I have examined Todus ciridifi and some other sj)ecies of the same genus. 

 The general conformation closely resembles that in the Coraciidjc, but the part of ^Meckel's 

 tract anterior to the diverticulum is divided into loops and the ca>cii are shorter. 



Alcedixid.e. — I have examined a number of these. The smaller forms do not differ 

 in any important respect, save the absence of the c:eca, from the conformation in the 

 Momotidfe. In the larger, such as Dacelo (tig. 63), the first of the two loops into whieli 

 Meckel's tract is thrown is very long and is wound into a spiral form. In all tiie 

 Kingfishers the cseca are absent, but there is a supra-duodenal loop more or less separated 

 from the general sweep of Meckel's ti-iet, and drained by a " Inidging" vein. The cteca 

 have disappeared com])letely, and the rectum is verv wide and rather long. 



SECOXl) SERIES.— ZO(U.OGY, VOL. VIII. 37 



