292 MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON THE INDIAN DARTER. [Apr. 5, 



there are a few points, however, to which Mr. Forbes does not refer. 

 To these I have naturally paid particular attention. As regards the 

 musculature, Mr. Forbes only refers to some of the muscles of the 

 neck ; but, Fiirbringer having dissected the shoulder-muscles, I have 

 confined my attention to the muscles of the hind hmb. 



Myology. 



As I have already said, the muscles of the anterior limb have 

 been described by Fiirbringer. In the hind limb I find no note- 

 worthy differences from P. anhinga. The " muscle formula" is the 

 same, i. e. AX-}-. 



The Semitendinosus is a comparatively slight muscle ; Garrod 

 speaks of it in P. anhinga as being very large. It arises entirely 

 from the pubis, and is inserted in common with the Semimemhra- 



710SUS. 



The Semimembranosus is a very large and stout muscle ; at its 

 origin it is nearly as wide as the Biceps ; it is inserted by a strong- 

 flat tendon, on to which tendon, just at its commencement, is 

 inserted the Semitendinosus. 



There are two Adductors, of which the inner is much the largest ; 

 this muscle is tendinous at its origin, and it has also a tendinous in- 

 sertion of some length on to the underside of the femur. 



The Gastrocnemius has the usual three heads of origin ; the 

 middle head arises partly from the innermost adductor, and also by 

 a very slender tendon from the Semimembranosus. 



The Tibialis anticus has a single and undivided tendon ; in many 

 birds the tendon of this muscle splits into two at its insertion. 



There are two Peroneals present ; the Peroneus longus is, as is 

 invariably the case with this muscle when present, attached to the 

 tendon of one of the deep flexors. 



As to the deep flexors, the Flexor hallucis is bound by a strong 

 vinculum to the Flexor profundus just at its trifurcation. 



Viscera. 



The accompanying drawing (fig. 1, p. 293) illustrates the very 

 rudimentary tongue. Mr. Forbes does not mention the tongue, 

 though it might be inferred from his silence on the point that the 

 organ resembles that of Plotus anhinga. I have thought it worth 

 while to have a drawing prepared, as this structure has not been, to the 

 best of my knowledge, figured. Professor Garrod's remark that " the 

 tongue, as an independent organ, does not exist" applies to Plotus 

 melanogaster no less than to Plotus anhinga ; there is in the former 

 species, as apparently in the latter, a minute process, shown in the 

 drawing, which is all that is left of the tongue. 



I may remark that the right lobe of the liver, as in P. anhinga, is 

 larger than the left ; and that there is a well-developed gall-bladder 

 (see fig. 2, p. 294), the duct of which opens as shown in the 

 drawing. 



