INTESTINAL TRACT OF BIKDS. 



227 



nerve coining from a special ganglion in the duodenal loop (fig. 45, v.n.x.). The peculiar 

 caeca which have been described by Bcddard (2. p. 332) are specialized not only in their 

 great length but in their internal structure. The general character of the gut, however, 

 especially if I am correct in my interpretation of the small folds marked " a " and " c," 

 is obviously Ralline. The resemblance between the guts of Otis and of the Tinamus is 

 certainly striking, the only notable difference being that in the Tinamu the cseca are 

 less specialized and that Meckel's diverticulum lies distad of the great loop of Meckel's 

 tract rather than actually on it. I regard the closeness of the resemblance as not 

 definitely morphological. 



.*. In Ithinochetus jubatus, the Kagu (fig. 46), the duodenum is 



Fig. 46. 





Intestinal Traot of Kliinuchetut jubatus. Lettering as in fig. 41. 



a simple, short, and narrow loop. Meckel's tract shows first a pair of minor loops, the 

 second of which is double, then an axial loop with a large diverticulum about the middle 

 of its distal limb, then a large simple loop marked " <?," then a long narrow supra- 

 duodenal loop with a bridging vein. The cseca are rather short, and the rectum is 

 straight, wide, and of moderate length. The intestinal tract of this bird certainly differs 

 considerably from that of other members of the Gruiform assemblage. The most 

 important differences are the presence of an additional loop on Meckel's tract, the 

 .circumstance that the whole of that tract, with the exception of the supra-duodenal 



