THE GULLET. 45 



different birds, though on the whole they are shorter than 

 in the class of four-footed animals. The annexed plate 

 is merely intended to convey a general idea of the 

 stomachs of birds, and must by no means be depended 

 upon as an accurate representation applicable to any 

 particular family, since in each there is a marked varia- 

 tion with respect to the size, form, and other internal 

 arrangements; a full explanation of which, though ex- 

 tremely interesting, from the beautiful adaptation to the 

 habits of the bird, cannot in this little work be attempted ; 

 a few however may be briefly pointed out. 



Thus, in what are called the carnivorous birds, feeding 

 on flesh or fish containing hair, feathers, or bony sub- 

 stances, which are of difficult digestion, the gullet is of a- 

 vast size and capacity, compared with the other parts, 

 often exceeding in width the stomach itself. In some- 

 of the water birds it is large enough to contain even a 

 whole fish, till the proper stomach is ready to receive it. 

 In watching Cormorants at a distance with a telescope, 

 they may be sometimes seen quietly reposing, with their 

 mouths half open, and the tail of a fish hanging out, the 

 remainder gorged in this capacious gullet: and Sea-Gulls 

 will swallow bones of three or four inches in length; the 

 lower end only reaching the stomach, whilst the rest 

 continues in the gullet, and slips down gradually, in pro- 

 portion as these lower ends are consumed. 



The usual food of Gulls consists of flesh; but when 

 confined they will thrive very well on a diet with which 

 they must be perfectly unacquainted by the sea-side. 

 We may form, too, some idea of their voracity, from the 

 quantity consumed by a Gull kept and fed in a garden,, 

 which devoured in one day fourteen mice and two rats. 

 Another was seen to swallow an entire rat, an operation, 

 however, not accomplished without some difficulty, the 

 bird making several efforts before it succeeded, and even 

 then the tail remained visible for several minutes. But 

 the voracity of Gulls is exceeded by some other fish- 

 eating birds. Thus the Pelican, it is said, will at one 



