50 INTERNAL STRUCTURE. 



The gullet (oesophagus) A ? opens into the crop 

 (ingluvies) B, which forms a sort of bag; on quit- 

 ting this, it extends to what is called the second 

 stomach, c, (infundibulum^ or ventriculus succintu- 

 rlatus^) usually funnel-shaped, from whence it opens 

 into the third stomach or gizzard,D, (ventriculus 

 callosus^) communicating with the intestinal canal 

 or bowels, E, which vary very much in length, in 

 different birds, though, on the whole, they are 

 shorter than in the class of four-footed animals. 

 The annexed plate is merely intended to convey *a 

 general idea of the stomachs of birds, and must by 

 no means be^depended upon as an accurate represen- 

 tation, applicable to any particular family, since, in 

 each, there is a marked variation with respect to the 

 size, form, and other internal arrangements; a full 

 explanation of which, though extremely interesting, 

 from the beautiful adaptation to the habits of the 

 bird, cannot, in this little work, be attempted; a few 

 however, may be briefly pointed out. 



Thus, in what are called the carnivorous birds, 

 feeding on flesh or fish, containing hair, feathers, or 

 bony substances, which are of difficult digestion, the 

 gullet is of a vast size and capacity, compared with 

 the other parts, often exceeding in width the stomach 

 itself. In some of the water birds it is large enough 

 to contain even a whole fish, till the proper stomach 

 is ready to receive it. In watching Cormorants, at a 

 distance, with a telescope, they may be sometimes 

 seen quietly reposing, with their mouths half open, 

 and the tail of a fish hanging out, the remainder 

 gorged in this capacious gullet; and Sea-Gulls will 

 swallow bones of three or four inches in length; the 



