LEAST PETREL.
.j twelfth in diameter. The intestines-is' ¡nehosMimir,. it* diameter
diminishing gradually from 2 twelfths to J "of a twelfth.
In Fig. 2. aie; represented :—tire lower part of tin: césophagus, d, e,
/ • (He proventrieular séSi/l g, 8'i the very small gizzard, h ; 'ffl* duodenal
fold of the intestine, i,j. k. Here' the parts arc'viewed from
thé loft. side.
Fig. 3. represents :—the prori-ntricmkir fijâc 'thrust forward,/, a, h. ;
the gizzard, Ti ; tho duodenum, », j j i , pulled to the right side ; the;,convolution
of the intestine, % m, under the kidneys, thè (-oeca, n ; the
reotuin, o, and the cloaca, ji>.
The proyentriclilar glands are Very numerous, but not so £Icf|ely
placed as is usual, although scattered over a much larger es toi: t, from
¿.t„ g in Figi 2. Between the termination of the glands and the ste-«
mach tbéïe is a portion destitute of glandules.' The stomach or gizzard
has its muscular1 "ttmt thick, tfe tendons moderali, its inner airfare
covered with a rather thick but. not very hard epithelium, Which
is more prolonged on two opposite sides, although in the fundus it is
complete.- •
This curious digestive apparatus agrees very nearly with that described
and figured by Sir EVERARD HOME as that of Alca Aliò. The,
stomach, it is seen, is excessively large in proportion to the size of the
LEAST PETREL.
bird • but why it should fee so, and moreover fee curved in this manner,
is not very obvious. Conjectures .are easily made, and might run in
this form. This little bird, which wanders over the face of the ocean,
subsisting upon garbage, oily and fatty substancos, small fishes, and
even sea-weeds, .requires'a large stomicMor the reception of its heterogenSo
« tee* which not being alwa vs. very nutritious or easily digestible,
must 1..- very plentifully intermixed with the gastric juices, and
detained a-considerable time; which renditions are accordingly provided
for fey the very great number and extensive dispersion of the proventrieular
glandules, and the eurye of.j,h.e organ. Should any hard sub,
s ^ f f l i a s crustaeea, fee .jntroducsi tl.ey are pounded fey the;,gizzard;
but as the bird is l p ® addicted to feeding on sueh substances', that
organfjpreduM&fc* a:V.ery.«A.gfeai.'i i
The aperture of the glotjisjis twelfth long. The trachea is 1
ineh 7 twelfths in length, wide, flattened, its diameter from 2 twelfths
to I t twelfth:; I® rings unossified, 82 in number. The bronchi are
short, wide, of about 1-2 half rings.