SNOWY OWL. 



385 



twelfths in breadth. The aperture of the eye is 11 twelfths. The 

 aperture of the ear is simple, without 

 operculum, of comparatively small size, 

 11 twelfths long, 6 twelfths wide, 

 margined all round with linear fea- 

 thers, of which the anterior are 1^ inch 

 long, the posterior 10 twelfths. 



The palate is flattened, sloping a 

 little upwards at the sides, with two 

 longitudinal ridges, and entirely covered with series of minute papil- 

 lae ; at its anterior part is a median tuberculate prominent ridge. The 

 posterior apertiu-e of the nares is broadly elliptical, 5 twelfths long, 

 with an anterior slit 7 twelfths long.' The width of the mouth is 2 in-* 

 ches. The tongue is short, measiu-ing 11 twelfths in length, deeply 

 sagittate and papillate at the base, its breadth 5 twelfths, its edo-es 

 nearly parallel, its upper surface nearly flat, with a median groove, its 

 tip narrowed but roimded and slightly emarginate. (Esophagus 9 in- 

 ches long, of the nearly uniform width of 1^ inch. The proventricu- 

 lar glands occupy a belt 1 inch 7 twelfths in breadth. The stomach is 

 large, roundish, 2 inches 2 twelfths in length, 2 inches 1 twelfth in 

 width ; its muscular coat very thin, being composed of a single series 

 of fasciculi ; the inner coat thick, moderately tough, and rugous. The 

 pylorus is very small, with two prominences. The intestine is 43 in- 

 ches long, its width at the upper part 5 twelfths, diminishing to 3 

 twelfths. The coeca are 5 inches long, their greatest width 6 twelfths. 

 The cloaca is capable of being dilated to the diameter of 2 inches. The 

 lobes of the liver are equal, 2 inches long, and the gall-bladder ellipti- 

 cal, 1 inch long. 



The trachea is 6^ inches long, much flattened, its breadth at the 

 upper part i inch, at the lower 5^ twelfths ; its rings 90, partially os- 

 sified, being cartilaginous before and behind. Bronchi of moderate 

 length and width, with about 20 half rings. The lateral muscles are 

 moderate, as are the sterno-tracheales, and a very thin slip on each side 

 goes to the last half ring of the trachea. 



VOL. v. 



Bb 



