HERODIONES 



435 



;are twelve. The oil gland of Plaialea leucorodia has three 

 ■distinct orifices on each half, that of Ibis only one. The 

 long downwardly bent bill of the ibises distinguishes them 

 from the storks and suggests Nuvienius. Nitzsch, indeed, 

 regarded the birds as intermediate between the two groups 

 represented by these types. 



The tensores patagii have always a biceps slip running to 

 the tendon of the longus, and there is a patagial fan. 



In Ibis cethiopica the tendon of the tensor brevis is 

 simple and rather diffuse. In Eudocimus ruber and G. mela- 

 nopis the tendon gives off a distinct wristward slip, while the 

 patagial fan is formed of two rather separate strands, with 

 the posterior of which, rather high up, the wristward slip 

 fuses in Geronticiis melanopis. 



In Platalea the muscle and its tendons are much the 

 same, but the brevis is very broad and fascia- like. 



The muscle formula of the leg is complete {i.e. ABXY + ) 

 in all Plataleidffi. 



The plantar tendons are connected by a vinculum which 

 in Eudocimus ruber extends on to the special slip to digit II. 

 By the division of this vinculum may have arisen the two 

 vincula of Ciconia nigra (see above, p. 427). 



The liver is equilobed (I. cethiopica), or the right is a 

 little larger {E. ruber). A gall bladder is present. The 

 following are intestinal measurements : — 



"The intestinal convolutions of Platalea leucorodia are 

 shown in fig. 207. The greater part of the gut has preserved 



' HcNTER, in Essays and Observations (ed. Owen, London), 1861, writes of 

 this species': ' The osBca are about four inches long and very small, attached to 

 the ileum their whole length.' 



F F 2 



