COMMON WATER THRUSH. 287 



the lower parts are yellow, in others yellowish-white, and in others the 

 fore neck has scarcely any tinge of yellow. In some the tarsi and toes 

 are yellowish flesh-colour, in others flesh-colour, in one somewhat 

 dusky, and in many which I have examined dusky brown. The size 

 also varies, some birds measuring 6^^ inches in length, others not 

 more than 5i\. The dark-footed birds seem in no essential respect 

 to dififer from the light-footed ; and in conclusion, I cannot after 

 all distinguish between the Louisiana Water Thrush and the Com- 

 mon Water Tlu-ush. As I cannot distinguish between the two 

 alleged species, I prefer considering them as identical ; moreover, 

 the dark-footed bird, which has commonly been said to be larger 

 than the light-footed, I find to be on an average of the same size. 

 The dimensions given above are from two specimens of which the feet 

 were pale flesh-colour. The following is an account of their digestive 

 organs : — 



Male shot in the Texas. The roof of the mouth is flat, with two 

 longitudinal ridges, at the union of which anteriorly is a small soft 

 knob, and beyond it a median prominent line. The posterior aperture 

 of the nares is linear in its whole length, margined with papillae, 4| 

 twelfths long. The tongue is of moderate length, very slender, sagittate 

 and papillate at the base, the lateral papillae on each side large ; it is flat 

 above, with a slight median groove, homy towards the end, which is 

 deeply slit and lacerated ; its length 5 twelfths. The oesophagus is 2 inches 

 2 twelfths long ; for three-fourths of an inch its breadth is 2 twelfths, 

 then for half an inch 2^ twelfths. The stomach is roundish, 5 twelfths 

 long, 4^ twelfths broad, with strong lateral muscles, and a tough brown- 

 ish-red epithelium, marked with nine prominent longitudinal ridges. 

 The intestine is 8^ inches long, its greatest width scarcely 1 twelfth 

 The cceca are 2 twelfths long, and about ^ twelfth wide, their distance 

 from the extremity 1 inch ; the cloaca oblong. The stomach filled 

 with fragments of insects, without any particles of quartz. 



The trachea is 1 inch 7 twelfths long, a little flattened, its breadth 

 uniformly 1 twelfth ; the rings are about 68. The lateral muscles are 

 moderate ; besides the sterno-tracheal there are four pairs of inferior 

 laryngeal muscles. The bronchi are of moderate width, with about 12 

 half rings. 



