548 SCOLOPACEOUS COURLAN. 
including the cloaca, /m, which is globular, 12 inch in diameter ; the 
coeca, n n, of moderate size, 1? inch long, for nearly half their length 
2 twelfths in diameter, in the rest of their extent from 4 to 6 twelfths, 
obtuse; their distance from the cloaca 10 twelfths. 
The trachea, o p, is 10 inches long, narrow, of nearly uniform dia- 
meter, being narrowest in the upper third of its length, unless for three- 
fourths of an inch at the commencement. Its rings 186 in number, are 
ossified, and a little flattened. The contractor muscles are slender, 
as are the sterno-tracheal ; and there is a single pair of inferior laryn- 
geal. The bronchi, pq, are wide, tapering, of about 15 narrow carti- 
laginous half rings. ‘The heart is of moderate size, 17% inch long, 1 
inch in breadth. The liver is small, its lobes, which are equal, being 
1 inch in length. 
The other individual, a male, has the cesophagus 12 inches long; 
the distance from the proventriculus to the stomach 1;% inch; the 
stomach 1,%; inch long, and the same in breadth; the cceca 2 inches 
long, the greatest diameter 5 twelfths; the intestine 325 inches in 
length, their greatest diameter 33 twelfths. 
Now, in all this there is nothing indicative of any affinity to the 
Herons; the structure of the intestinal canal being essentially like 
that of the Coots, Gallinules, and Rails. Even the external parts suf- 
ficiently indicate its station, the bill; the plumage, and the colouring 
being more like thse of the Rallinz than of any other family. 
The Prince of Musicnano, who first described this bird as a Rail, 
Rallus giganteus, atterwards adopted for it Virtiort’s genus Aramus, and 
considered it as belonging to the Ardeidw, forming a connecting link 
with them and the Rallidw, and ‘“ aberrating somewhat towards the 
Scolopacide, as well as tending a little towards the Psophidw, sub-fa- 
mily Gruine,” and claiming “ again a well-founded resemblance to the 
most typical form of the genus Fallus.” Finally, he reverts to his ori- 
ginai idea, and places it at the head of the Rallidw. Mr Swainson re- 
ters it to the Tantalidw, associating it with Anastomus, Tantalus, and 
Ibis, to which it certainly has very little affinity in any point of view. 
The efficiency of the digestive organs as a means of determining afh- 
nities in cases of doubt, is happily ilustrated in this instance ; and any 
person who will make himself acquainted with them will easily disco- 
ver numerous false associations in all systems founded on the external 
aspect alone. 
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