MERSATRICES. 
227 
neck of moderate length, or short, and rather thick ; the 
head large, broadly ovate, anteriorly narrowed. The bill 
of moderate length, generally stout, straight, compressed, 
more or less decurved at the end, opening to beneath the 
eyes. Mouth rather wide, tongue fleshy, rather narrow, 
tapering, pointed, horny beneath at the end ; oesophagus 
very wide throughout, with its walls thin; proventriculus 
dilated ; stomach small, muscular, with distinct lateral 
muscles, large radiated tendons, and thick, dense, longi- 
tudinally ridged epithelium ; intestine rather long, nar- 
row ; coeca very small, cylindrical ; rectum with a large 
globular dilatation. Nostrils rather large, elongated, 
subbasal or medial, but various. Eyes rather small, eye- 
lids feathered, with crenulate margins. Aperture of ear 
of moderate size. Legs of moderate length, or short, ra- 
ther slender ; tibia bare below ; tarsus little compressed, 
anteriorly scutellate ; toes of moderate length, slender, 
webbed, spreading, the first very small and elevated, or 
wanting ; claws small, arcuate, rather obtuse. Plumage 
very full, close, and soft ; feathers generally oblong and 
rounded ; wings very long, rather narrow, much pointed ; 
tail generally moderate. 
This order may be divided into Sternum, Larin^e, 
and PROCELLARiNiE. There can be no difficulty in re- 
ferring any one of the species to its order, as the general 
characters are very distinctive. They are usually cla- 
morous when engaged in searching for food. The smaller 
species feed chiefly on small fishes and Crustacea ; the 
larger are in a great measure omnivorous. They usually 
nestle on the ground, laying from three to five eggs, 
which are oval, and spotted ; but some which lay in holes, 
have white eggs. The young, at first densely covered 
with down, can walk and even run presently after emerg- 
