48 



higher type of structure than they present in the human subject, 

 where the mucous folUcles terminate by several separate apertures. 

 They are two inches in length and one in breadth. 



Mr. Owen then proceeded to read the first part of a paper on 

 the Anatomy of the Apteryx ; the body of that bird having recently 

 been presented to the Society's Museum by the Earl of Derby. The 

 results of the anatomical examination, communicated to the Meeting 

 on this occasion, embrace a detailed description of the parts con- 

 nected with the digestive apparatus. 



Commencing with the beak, Mr. Owen notices the general super- 

 ficial resemblance which it bears to that of the Curlew and Ibis, 

 though it diflfers essentially from this organ in the slender-billed 

 waders, by having the perforations of the nostrils near the apex, 

 and the base covered with a cei-e. The cere terminates anteriorly 

 in a concave or lunated curve, resembling that of the Rhea. Two 

 narrow grooves extend from the angles or cresses of the cere along 

 each side of the mandible, the upper groove being continued to the 

 truncated extremity of the mandible, the lower one leading into the 

 external nostril, which forms, as it were, the dilated termination of 

 the groove, and this occupies a position of which there is no other 

 known example throughout the class of birds. 



The cere was about an inch in length, furnished at its sides with 

 short stiff plumes and hairs, while at its base a number of long black 

 bristles are given off, the presence of which, in conjunction with the 

 extension of sensitive skin upon the beak, is considered by Mr. 

 Owen to indicate the importance of the sense of touch to the Apte- 

 ryx, and to correspond with the account given of its nocturnal 

 habits. The general form of the beak is adapted for insertion into 

 crevices and holes, in search of insects, which were found to consti- 

 tute in part the contents of the gizzard. 



The tongue, as in all the struthious birds, was short and simple, 

 yet presented nevertheless a greater relative development. It was 

 of a compressed, narrow, elongated, triangular form, with the apex 

 truncate and slightly notched ; the lateral and posterior margins 

 entire : 8 lines in length, 4 lines broad at the base, 1 line across 

 the apex. The anterior half consisted of a simple plate of a white, 

 semitransparent, horny substance, gently concave above ; behind 

 this the exterior covering, which is lost in, or blended with, the 

 horny plate, gradually becomes distinct, and assumes the character 

 of a mucous membrane : it was reflected over the posterior margin 

 of the tongue, forming a crescentic fold, with the concavity towards 

 the glottis ; but here, as well as on every other part of tlie tongue, 

 it was devoid of spines or papilla. The lining membrane of the 

 pharynx, behind the glottis, formed two elongate, square-shaped, 

 smooth, thick, and apparently glandular foldf or pi-ocesses, the ob- 

 tuse free margins of which project backwards, like lappels, into the 

 pharynx ; beyond which the lining membrane is produced into close- 

 set, narrow, somewhat wavy, longitudinal folds. 



The (esophagus at its upper extremity was half an inch in diameter, 



