330 
its feet, makes it worth while to compare the length of the bones 
of its toes with that of the bones of the toes of the Great Adjutant. 
Haliux. Inner toe. Middle toe. Outer toe. 
in. if. in. in. 
AGUCANG, oo. ees 4°15 5°7 4°7 
Baleniceps ...... 3°3 3°8 6°5 6°4 
To conclude, I may remark, that upon a careful examination of the 
osteology of the Baleniceps, after eliminating the teleological from 
the relational characters, I am decidedly of opinion that it is strictly 
an Ardeine bird, and more nearly related to Cancroma than to any 
other known type. 
Note I.—Amongst the bones of the limbs, the humerus alone is 
pneumatic ; the cavity of the os femoris being filled with medulla, 
as are all the more distal bones. 
Note 11.—The tongue is extremely small, an important Pelecanine 
character. 
3. ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE GIZZARD OF THE NICOBAR 
PIGEON, AND OTHER GRANIVoROUS Birps. By W. H. 
Fiower, F.R.C.S., F.Z.S., AssistaNT-SURGEON TO THE Mip- 
DLESEX HOSPITAL. 
(Aves, Pls. CLXV., CLXVI.) 
' At the meeting of the Zoological Society on the 14th of February 
last, Mr. Bartlett exhibited the gizzard of a Nicobar Pigeon, espe- 
cially directing attention to two circular hard plates in connexion 
with the lining membrane of the organ*. Having had, through 
Mr. Bartlett’s kindness, an opportunity of examining these micro- 
scopically, I beg to lay the following account of them before the So- 
ciety, prefixing it with some observations upon the structure of the 
inner coats of the gizzard in other granivorous birds. The latter 
were made quite independently of the researches of Dr. R. Molint, 
and tend in a great measure to confirm the accuracy of that author’s 
conclusions. 
On examining the muscular stomach or gizzard of a granivorous 
bird, we find its interior lined by a distinct membrane, of leathery or 
sometimes horny consistence, and which can be stripped off from the 
softer coat below with the greatest facility, especially if the organ is 
not perfectly fresh. This membrane is thicker and harder at the 
middle portion of the gizzard than at the upper and lower parts, and 
especially at the two sides ; where in many birds are tolerably defined, 
more or less circular, flat or somewhat concave titurating disks or 
bosses. In the other parts of the organ it becomes thinner and 
softer, and towards the proventricular orifice is of almost gelatinous 
* Proc. Zool. Soc. 1860, p. 99. 
+ Sugli stomachi degli uccelli. Denkschriften d. Kais. Acad. d. Wissenschaften, 
zu Wien, 3° Band, 1852. 
