THE COMMON AMERICAN GULL. 
41 
other respects, wanted that mark. This bird, although in many respects 
precisely similar to that which is usually named Larus canus in Europe, 
differs greatly in the size of the bill, which even in young birds is much 
deeper than in the oldest individuals of that species. 
Female, from Dr. T. M. Brewer. Mouth 1 inch 1 twelfth in width ; 
palate with two very prominent papillate ridges, the space between which 
is covered with reversed papillse, its anterior part with five prominent 
lines, and moderately concave ; the postei'ior aperture of the nares oblong- 
linear, 11 twelfths in length. Tongue 1 inch 5 twelfths long, emarginate 
and finely papillate at the base ; its sides nearly parallel as far as the mid- 
dle, its breadth being 3 twelfths, then tapering to a narrow emarginate 
point, and trigonal. (Esophagus 7 inches long, extremely wide, its breadth 
being li inches; that of the proventriculus 1 inch 9 twelfths. The stomach 
is rather small, elliptical, 1 inch 5 twelfths long, 1 inch 2 twelfths broad ; 
its lateral muscles distinct and of moderate size, the lower prominent, the 
tendons large, the epithelium dense, with very prominent large rugte ; the 
inner coat of the oesophagus is longitudinally plicate ; the proventricular 
belt 1 inch in breadth, with six broad plates. Intestine 30 inches long, its 
width at the upper part 5 twelfths, diminishing to 2h twelfths, coeca 3 
twelfths long, 1 twelfth broad, 3 inches distant from the extremity, rectum 
5 twelfths broad, with a globular cloaca 9 twelfths in diameter. The 
duodenum curves at the distance of 2i inches, advances toward the liver in 
the usual manner, and is afterwards very regularly coiled in an elliptical 
form, with 10 bends. Trachea 5 inches long, from 3 twelfths to 2h twelfths 
in breadth, not flattened, its rings slightly osseous, 130. Bronchi wide, of 
20 half rings. The lateral and sterno-tracheal muscles are slender, and a 
slip on each side extends to the last half-ring of the trachea. 
Vol. VIII. — 6 
