INTESTINAL TEACT OF BIEDS. 



245 



CORACIIFORMES. 



Co RACINE. 



CORACIIIXE. I have examined the intestinal tract of Leptosoma (species ?) and of 

 Coracias garrula (fig. 62). In both, which are practically identical, the duodenum is a 



Fig. 62. 



A, I V-V 



2s >3C 



S.O./T- 



Intestinal Tract of Coracias garrula. 



short loop relatively rather wide. Meckel's tract is thrown into two rather wide loops 

 which are separated by the diverticulum, the latter being conspicuous in Leptosoma, 

 and only faintly indicated by a trace of a ventral mesentery in Coracias. The distal 

 loop is a supra-duodenal loop to which the long caeca are attached. The rectum is 

 relatively short, wide, and straight. 



MoMOTiD-E. I have examined Todus viridis and some other species of the same genus. 

 The general conformation closely resembles that in the Coraciidas, but the part of Meckel's 

 tract anterior to the diverticulum is divided into loops and the caeca are shorter. 



ALCEDINID.^. I have examined a number of these. The smaller forms do not differ 

 in any important respect, save the absence of the caeca, from the conformation in the 

 Momotidae. In the larger, such as Dacelo (fig. 63), the first of the two loops into which 

 Meckel's tract is thrown is very long and is wound into a spiral form. In all the 

 Kingfishers the caeca are absent, but there is a supra-duodenal loop more or less separated 

 from the general sweep of Meckel's tract, and drained by a " bridging" vein. The caeca 

 have disappeared completely, and the rectum is very wide and rather long. 



SECOND SERIES. ZOOLOGY, VOL. VIII. 37 



