234 



DE. P. CHALMERS MITCHELL ON THE 



is straight and simple, although rather long. Meckel's tract displays a small loop " ," 

 then an axial loop " b " with Meckel's diverticulum on its distal limb ; loop " c" is not 

 differentiated from the supra-duodenal loop, to which the long cseca are attached. The 

 rectum is straight. It is plain that (Edicnemus is more archecentric than the ordinary 

 Curlews, and that its nearest allies are the Glareolidae, Parridse, and Thinocoridse. 



^. In Parrajacana (fig. 53, p. 233) the same ground-form is ohvious, although 



Fig. 54. 



Intestinal Tract of Par/vphila eburnea. Lettering as before. 



there is a good deal of individual specialization. The duodenum is similar. Meckel's 

 tract exhibits loops "a" and " b," the latter with the diverticulum at its base. There is 

 no trace of loop " c," the distal portion of Meckel's tract appearing as a single very 

 large supra-duodenal loop supplied by two " bridging " veins and with the proximal 

 portion of the gut unusually dilated. The cseca are vestigial, and the rectum is short and 

 straight. Except for the vestigial cseca, Parra is very like (Edicnemus. 



