PIED-BILLED DOBCHICK. 625 



posed of distinctly separated cartilaginous half rings, 15 in number. 

 The muscles as in the other species. 



In another individual, a female, the stomach is of a regularly ellip- 

 tical form, 1 inch 9 twelfths long, 1^ inch in breadth ; the muscular 

 coat of moderate thickness, composed of strong fasciculi ; the epithe- 

 lium thinner and more corrugated. The stomach contains a great 

 quantity of feathers, scales of fishes, numerous elytra of aquatic coleop- 

 tera, and a fish 3 inches long, and 11 twelfths in depth. 



It is very remarkable, and equally singular, that all the Grebes 

 should have the stomach distended with feathers. These bodies being 

 indigestible, and not the remains of objects devoured, for none of these 

 birds prey upon birds, must be swallowed for the purpose of aiding di- 

 gestion ; but in what manner they accomplish this object is not easily 

 determinable. They may keep the stomach distended by their elasticity, 

 but why should that organ require to be more so than that of the Divers, 

 which live on the same sort of food ? 



RED-THROATED DIVER. 



COLYMBUS SEPTENTRIONALIS, LiNN. 

 PLATE ecu. Vol. III. p. 20. 



The width of the mouth is 10 twelfths ; but the lower jaw is dila- 

 table to 1^ inch. On the palate are two papillate ridges, with two series 

 of papillae on each side of the posterior aperture of the nares, which is 

 oblongo-linear, 1;^ inch long, and margined with papillae. On the ante- 

 rior part of the upper mandible are three ridges. The tongue is 1 inch 

 8 twelfths long, very slender, trigonal, flat above, tapering to a horny 

 point. (Esophagus, a 6 c, 14 inches in length, at its commencement 1| inch 

 in width, but at the lower part of the neck enlarging to 2 inches ; on 

 entering the thorax it contracts to 1^ inch ; the proventriculus, he, again 

 enlarges to 2 inches, forming a very large ovate sac. The lobes of the 

 liver are very large and nearly equal, the length of the one being 3 inches 

 10 twelfths, that of the other 3 inches 8 twelfths. The stomach, cdef, 

 is rather large, roundish, 1 inch 9 twelfths in diameter, a little com- 



VOL. V. R r 



