COMMON GANNET, 55 



another 5^ inches long, extending from the furcula down the humerus; and 

 behind the wings four others, extending to the last rib. Branches from these 

 pass between the muscles, which present the appearance of having been as it 

 were dissected. A cell of enormous size covers the side of the abdomen, 

 and another pair run down the middle of it, separated by a partition in the 

 median line. That part of the cellular tissue which adheres to the bases of 

 the feathers is also remarkably loose; and, close to each of them, is a round- 

 ish aperture of large size, communicating with the great cavities mentioned 

 above. Between the pectoralis major and the subjacent muscles is a large 

 interspace formed by a great cell. The internal thoracic and abdominal 

 cells are also very large. 



On the roof of the mouth are five sharp ridges. The nasal aperture is 1 

 inch and 5 twelfths long, linear, with a soft longitudinal flap on each side. 

 The tongue is extremely small, being only 7 twelfths long, 1 twelfth broad, 

 blunt at the extremity, and with two papilla? at the base. The bare skin 

 between the crura of the mandibles is of the same structure as that of the 

 Pelicans and Cormorants, but of small extent, its posterior acute extremity 

 not extending farther than that at the base of the bill. The aperture of the 

 glottis is 7^ twelfths long. The thyroid bone has an anterior curved pro- 

 longation, which projects forwards, and from the extremity of which comes 

 the elastic ligament by which it is connected with the hyoid bone. The 

 oesophagus, a, b, is 15 inches long, measured to the commencement of the 

 proventriculus, extremely dilated, its diameter 2\ inches at the top, con- 

 tracting to 2 inches as it enters the thorax, its narrowest part 1 inch 4 

 twelfths; its transverse muscular fibres moderately strong. The proven- 

 triculus, c, d, is excessively large, 3j inches long, its greatest diameter 2\ 

 inches. The glandules are cylindrical, 3 twelfths long, forming a very broad 

 belt, separated however at its narrowest part by a longitudinal interval of 5 

 twelfths of an inch, and having three partial divisions on its lower edge. 

 The greatest length of the proventriculus, or breadth of the belt of glandules, 

 is 2\ inches. The mucous coat of the oesophagus is smooth, but thrown 

 into longitudinal plicse when contracted; that of the proventriculus is con- 

 tinuous, and of the same nature, being marked with extremely minute 

 reticulated lines, of which the more prominent have a longitudinal direction. 

 The stomach, properly so called, d e, is extremely small, being only 1 inch 

 9 twelfths long, and about the same breadth. Its inner coat is similar to that 

 of the oesophagus and proventriculus, being destitute of epithelium; several 

 large mucous crypts are scattered over its surface. The pylorus is small, 

 having a diameter of nearly 3 twelfths, and a marginal flap or valve on one 

 side. The intestine, f, g, h, is of moderate length, measuring 53 inches. 

 The duodenum at first passes upwards in the direction of the liver for 2 



