CROWNED PIGEONS. 235 



in some degree resembling a clotted piece of 

 blood. 



On tracing down the alimentary canal, no dis- 

 ease or obstruction could be met with, until, on 

 arriving at the second stomach or gizzard, I 

 found it distended to the utmost with food, and 

 for rather more than an inch above the cardiac 

 orifice, the alimentary canal was also distended, 

 as if some cause prevented the natural passage of 

 the food ; the intestines below the gizzard (ex- 

 cept at a very short distance from the pyloric 

 orifice, which was also distended with food) were 

 empty. Here, then, I was led to expect some 

 explanation of the cause of obstruction, which 

 had no doubt occasioned the death of the bird. 

 I laid open, with my scalpel, the slightly-dis- 

 tended intestine just below or about the pyloric 

 orifice. The cause of the obstruction was made 

 evident, by the appearance of a polypus, which 

 cam3 out, being situated just below the part which 

 was distended, evidently forming the cause of 

 obstruction to the passage of the digested food. 

 This polypus measured, in length, two inches and 

 six-eighths ; and in its greatest breadth, three- 

 eighths of an inch. It was rounded at one end ; 

 tapering almost to a point at the other. Part 

 was of a bright vermillion, and the remainder 

 of a dirty or yellowish white. 



