302 THE BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO. 



Adult Female. 



The female differs very little in external appearance from the male, and is 

 nearly of the same dimensions. 



A male preserved in spirits measures to end of tail 12 inches, to end of 

 wings 8^j to end of claws 85 extent of wings 15^; wing from flexure 5 J; 

 tail 5i. 



The interior of the mouth presents the same appearances as that of the 

 other species, its width 7 twelfths; the tongue 8 twelfths long, of the same 

 form, but black, as is the whole of the mouth. The oesophagus is 6 twelfths 

 in width at the commencement, and gradually contracts to 3 twelfths; but 

 the proventriculus is 6 twelfths in breadth; its glands smaller than in the 

 other species, and forming a belt \ inch in breadth. The stomach is similar 

 to that of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo; its tendons about 4 twelfths in length, 

 and 3 twelfths in breadth; the inner surface soft, with faint longitudinal 

 ruga?, although quite smooth. Pylorus small, with a semilunar margin. 

 The lobes of the liver are very unequal, the left 5 twelfths, the right 10 

 twelfths in length. The contents of the stomach are remains of insects, with 

 a few short hairs scattered here and there over its internal surface. The 

 intestine is Hi inches long, very slender, its width from 2\ twelfths to \\ 

 twelfths; the cloaca oblong, 5 twelfths in width; the cceca, fig. 2. p. 522, 1 

 inch 1 twelfth long, their greatest width about the middle 2\ twelfths, 

 narrowed toward the extremity. The trachea is 2 inches 2 twelfths long, 

 moderately flattened, from \\ twelfths to 1 twelfth in breadth; its rings 58, 

 with 5 additional dimidiate rings. Bronchi of about 10 half rings. The 

 muscles as in the other species. 



The Great Magnolia. 

 Magnolia grandiflora, Willd., Sp. PL, vol. ii. p. 1255. 



