Z 21 



13 



between the arms of the furcula; its width is nearly 1 centim., its length 1-5 centim. ; 

 while its walls are thin and smooth internally. The stomach is decidedly small, of oval, 

 almost globular shape, and rather weak : contents, chitinous remains of insects and a 

 smooth caterpillar in one specimen, smooth caterpillars and small spiders in another. 

 The gut is short, as in most strictly insectivorous birds. The duodenum is by far the 

 widest portion ; the rest of the canal is much narrower, especially that portion which 

 forms the spiral. The convolutions of the gut are peculiar and rather unlike those of 

 most other Passeres, owing to the irregular way in which the second principal or 

 middle of the three loops is twisted into a spiral. The caeca are inserted only 

 1 centim. from the anus, and are very small, quite rudimentary sacs without function. 

 Both the absolute and the relative length of the intestinal canal, from the stomach to 

 the anus, varied somewhat in the adult specimens examined : 



V. coccinea 6 , absolute length 14 centim., relative length 3-5. 

 V. coccinea d , „ 15 „ „ 4-2. 



H. virens, „ 13-5 „ „ 4-0. 



The proportion of the right to the left lobe of the liver is 3 : 2. 



HlMATIONE SANGUINEA. (PI. III. figs. 40-41.) 



Bill not serrated. 



Nostrils basal, posterior lower corner partly concealed by short and somewhat bristly 

 feathers ; with a distinct dorsal operculum, which again overlaps a smaller lower flap 

 near the basal and posterior corner of the nasal opening. 



Tongue almost exactly like that of Vestiaria coccinea. 



Pterylosis. — Tenth primary very small and slender, but stiff, hidden by the stiffer and 

 longer upper covert. The tip of the wing is formed by the eighth and seventh 

 primaries, the ninth equals the sixth. Tail and feet like those of Vestiaria. The 

 feather-tracts also much resemble those of Vestiaria, and there are likewise present 

 axillary tufts, which, however, are not yellow or otherwise conspicuously coloured. 



Alimentary canal. — The oesophagus forms a very distinct ventral crop. The rest of 

 the canal and its convolutions closely resemble those of Vestiaria : but the stomach is 

 comparatively larger and stronger ; in the specimens examined it was full of 

 comminuted parts of soft insect larvae. Absolute length of gut 13 centim., relative 

 length 4. 



LOXOPS COCCINEA. 



Bill short, almost straight, conical and pointed, not serrated. 



Nostrils basal, small, oval, open, with a dorsal coriaceous opercular flap, which 

 resembles that of Hemignathus, but is bulged out laterally and does not close the 

 nostril, which is partly concealed by short and bristly postnarial feathers. 



Tongue short, in conformity with the bill, but ending in a frayed-out single brush, 

 which, like the whole organ, is formed exactly like that of the other Drepanididee. 



