1905. | ANATOMY OF LIMICOLINE BIRDS. 157 
and notably different from that of the Columbe, or, indeed, of any 
other group except the Lari. The duodenal loop is simple and 
definite (text-figs. 24 and 25, A-B); the portion of Meckel’s tract 
proximal to Meckel’s diverticulum (Div.) tends to be enlarged in 
such a way that the diverticulum is not at the apex of a loop as 
in Columbe or Passeres, but on the distal limb of a loop, which 
is short in the forms which are less specialised in this respect, 
such as the Chionide, Glareolidee, Thinocoride, Cidicnemide, 
and the simpler Charadriide (such as Mumeniws and Vanellus), 
Text-fig. 24. 
R 
Diagram of intestinal pattern of Rhynchea capensis. 
A. Cut proximal end of duodenal loop. B. Distal end of duodenal loop. 
Div. Meckel’s diverticulum. C. Origin of ceca. R. Cut end of rectum at cloaca. 
but which in other Charadriidz and Parride (such as Scolopaa, 
Himantopus, and Hydrophasianus) is elongated and _ spirally 
twisted. The portion of Meckel’s tract between this and the 
duodenal loop is ill-defined in the simpler forms, but in others 
tends to be thrown into a definite narrow loop. The portion pos- 
terior to the diverticulum is in close relation to the colic cxca, 
which are long in the simpler forms (text-fig. 24, C.), but become 
