THE CRESTED GREBE. 311 



along the back 2$, along the edge of lower mandible 2f ; tarsus 2i; third toe 

 2^, its claw I. Weight 1 lb. 6| oz. 



The following account of the digestive organs of this species was taken 

 from an adult male. 



The oesophagus is nine and a half inches long; at its commencement, and. 

 for an inch and a half, it has a diameter of half an inch, for the next two 

 inches only two-twelfths, towards the lower extremity four-twelfths; this, 

 how r ever, in the contracted state, the specimen having been kept in spirits. 

 The mucous coat is raised into numerous longitudinal folds. 



The walls of the proventriculus are extremely thick, the glands cylin- 

 drical, generally about a quarter of an inch long, and one-twelfth in diameter. 

 The stomach is roundish, compressed, the muscular coat very thick, being 

 that of a true gizzard, the tendons nearly half an inch in diameter; the inner 

 coat thick, the cuticular lining very thick and rugous. 



Between the orifice of the oesophagus and the pylorus is a rounded lobe, 

 from the lower part of which the intestine comes off. The pylorus has no 

 valve, but a thick marginal rim. The intestine, immediately after its 

 commencement, dilates to the diameter of half an inch, and continues of that 

 size for twelve inches, then gradually contracts for about six inches, when 

 its diameter is four-twe.lfths, and again within six inches of the cceca becomes 

 enlarged. The cceca come off at the distance of two inches from the anus, 

 and are an inch and a half in length, a little enlarged towards their extremity, 

 and rounded. The rectum is half an inch in diameter, the cloaca one inch. 

 The entire length of the intestine is forty -two inches. 



The heart is conical, rather pointed, and slightly curved. The trachea is 

 flattened, of uniform diameter, the rings complete, 167 in number, its 

 transverse diameter two inches and half a twelfth, contracted at the bifurca- 

 tion to two-twelfths. 



The tail of the Grebes is usually described as a small tuft of feathers; but 

 on carefully removing the coverts and downy parts, the tail may be satis- 

 factorily traced. In this species there are 14 feathers, on each side 7 

 arranged in a semicircular manner. The two middle feathers are separated 

 to the distance of about T \, and the two outer or lateral approach each other 

 below, leaving an interval of about the same space. When the feathers are 

 broken across near their bases, which they frequently are, there is thus 

 produced the appearance of a small circular tuft. When perfect, they are 

 about 1^ inches long, arched, with loose barbs, downy at their extremities. 



