68 MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON THE 



supports it. Finally, between the ileic loop and the colon is a well- 

 marked supracsecal fold, found in all Accipitrine birds and in some 

 others. Of other Falconidse I have examined the following species, 

 which are not referred to in the memoir by Dr. Mitchell, 

 viz. Gerayioaetus melanoleucus, Astur palunibarius, Tinnunculiis 

 alaudarius, Astur approximans, as well as one or two species that 

 are referred to by him. 



In Astur paluinharius and A. approximans the gut shows no 

 marked differences from that of Ilarpyhaliaetus, which I have 

 taken as the type for this group. The pancreas extends but a short 

 way along the duodenal loop, and the ileic loop is attached to the 

 duodenal by a short ligament only at the base. The supracsecal 

 loop is present, and the jejunum cannot be said to possess any 

 pronounced folds indejaendent of each other. As it lay in the 

 body I noticed the formation of spirals in this region of the gut 

 in A. pahtmbarius ; but these were not permanent formations 

 as in Recurvirostra avocetta. The Avliole of the jejunum could be 

 straightened out bit by bit, the most pronounced fold, close to the 

 duodenum, being large and wide and hardly comparable to the 

 definite folds in the jejunum of more specialised birds, such as 

 the Psittaci. Geratioaetus melanoleucus shows again no salient 

 differences ; the supracfecal fold, however, is nearly as long as the 

 ileic loop. 



I agree with Dr. Mitchell in regarding the gut of Falco 

 as being aberrant when compared with that of other Hawks and 

 Eagles. The duodenal loop is, as he has said, irregular in form. 

 I may add that the pancreas extends a good deal further down the 

 duodenal than in the other Accipitres hitherto dealt with in the 

 present communication. Even the ileo-duodenal ligament is a 

 little more extensive than it is in Astur &c. 



In Tinnunculus alaudarius there is a,n exaggeration of the 

 " abnormality " of the duodenal lobe, which is almost bent upon 

 itself in a spiral fashion. In this Hawk the greater part of the 

 jejunum is disposed in a temporary spiral coil ; bvit the first part 

 of the jejunum is in the form of a single loop, which is comparable 

 to that figured by Mitchell in Falco *, and which I have described 

 above in Harpyhaliaeius. 



Spizaetus hellicosus (see text-fig. 20)is another species upon which 

 Dr. Mitchell had not the opportunity of reporting. It agrees with 

 other Accipitres in its general characters, but there are some minor 

 points of difference. Thus, the disposal of the jejunal is exactly 

 what we find in Harpyhallaetus coronatxis. This region of the 

 gut commences with a very wide stiff loop and then passes into a 

 loosely folded length of tube. The ileic loop is rather longer than 

 the duodenal, and the supracsecal kink is developed into a loop 

 nearly as long, the two together reminding us of the double ileic 

 loop of the Cranes and even the Tinamous. 



* 111 both of two examples of Falco peregrinus I have not seen a marked loop 

 correKponding to this. The jejnmim lay entirely or mostly in a rough spiral, which 

 could be arranged in an irregular circular fold. 



