ON THE ANATOMY OF CERTAIN PARROTS. 261 
40. NOTES ON THE ANATOMY OF CERTAIN 
PARROTS.* 
Sryce the publication of my paper “‘On some points in the Anatomy Page 691. 
of the Parrots,” in the “ Proceedings” of the Society (1874, p. 586), 
I have had the opportunity of dissecting several species, some of 
which, from their peculiarities, deserve special note. They are the 
following :— 
1. Dasyptilus pecqueti. It is through the great kindness of Dr. A. 
B. Meyer that I have had the advantage of being able to dissect this 
extremely rare bird. Dr. Meyer obtained the specimen in New Guinea, 
and has preserved it in spirit, entire. He has most liberally allowed 
me to determine those anatomical points to which I have drawn 
attention in the paper above referred to. 
There are two carotid arteries; the left, however, runs superficially 
as in the Psittacide (as defined by me). The oil-gland is large, sub- 
globose and possesses a well-developed tuft of shortish feathers around 
its orifices. The rectrices are twelve in number. 
In its myology and osteology it agrees with the Pyrrhurine in 
entirely wanting the ambiens muscle, and in having a furcula, which 
bone is not large or powerful, nor so slender as in the Lories. 
The orbital ring is incomplete, the eye not being encircled by bone. 
The femoro-caudal muscle is large; and the semitendinosus with its 
,accessory head are well developed,—in which arrangements it agrees 
with all the Psittazi. 
The intestines are 17} inches long, there being no trace of cxca. 
The liver-lobes are somewhat unequal in size, the left being the 
smaller. The stomach is small and much like that in the Fruit-eating 
Parrots generally. The proventriculus forms a dilated sac, of which 
the walls, instead of being, as is usually the case, thick and glandular, 
are strikingly thin, at the same time that no glands are visible. 
Dr. Meyer has alreadyt given a short description of the peculiari- 
ties of the tongue, and, in writing to me, tells me that he has further 
observations to make on the same. 
; _ As in nearly all birds, the main artery of the thigh is the sciatic, Page 692. 
: whilst the vein is the femoral. 
There is a fenestra near the posterior margin of the sternum, on 
each side. 
* “Proceedings of the Zoological Society,” 1876, pp. 691-2. Read, June 20, 
1876. 
+ “ Mittheil. aus dem k. zoologischen Museum zu Dresden,” 1875, p. 14. 
