224 
GEMITRICES. 
OEDEE XI. GEMITEICES. COOEES. 
The birds of this order vary much in form, some having 
the body full, others rather slender ; hut this difference 
is more dependent upon the elongation of the wings and 
tail, than upon the actual form of the body, which is 
generally rather full, while the neck is moderate, and the 
head always small, oblong, compressed, with the forehead 
rounded. Bill short or of moderate length, straight, gene- 
rally slender ; upper mandible having the nasal mem- 
branes large, bare, fleshy, tumid, scurfy, and by their ap- 
ijproximation obliterating the ridge, the extremity horny, 
arched or convex, more or less compressed, the tip blunt 
and thin-edged. Mouth narrow, but extensile, the crura 
of the lower mandible being slender and elastic ; tongue 
fleshy, triangular, pointed ; oesophagus of moderate width, 
but presently dilated into a very large crop, formed of 
two lobes, and lying across the neck and fore part of the 
breast ; proventriculus oblong ; stomach a powerful giz- 
zard, of a somewhat rhomboidal form, with very large 
muscles, radiated tendons, and dense epithelium, having 
two thick, elliptical, transversely rugous plates ; intestine 
long and slender ; coeca very small, cylindrical ; rectum 
very short. Tarsi generally short and stout, either scu- 
tellate or feathered ; toes four, on the same level, the 
hind toe shorter than the lateral, all scutellate, laterally 
margined, flattened beneath ; claws short, compressed, 
moderately arched, rather blunt. Plumage various ; fea- 
thers without accessory plumule ; wings large, more or 
less pointed ; tail various. 
