98 AMERICA» WHITE PELICAN.
ally more forwards, ami .spreading; out, reach the middle line of the
pouch. The inner fibres have the sime origin, and pass in a contrary
direction, backwards ami inwards, From the liyoid bono to the junction
of tlti-itwo crura of the mandible. which takes place almost -at the
very tip, t.liore extends a thin band of longitudinal muscular fib®ís, ¡«
the centre of whiciii'i« a-cord of elastic tissue. By moans of this apparatus,
the i'áe- i'sicontracted, so as to occupy little space. VVhon'tlm
bill is opened, the crura of the lower mandible separate from each
other t# a considerable extent, by the action of the nuisclos.-iSHxertccl
into their basé, this depending- upon their obli(|ue position, and thef&a
is expanded. The tipper mandible-is capable of being moved to a considerable
extent
Below the: anterior angle of the eye is a small sac about :> twelfths
• of an inch i i length, with an external aperture of 2 twelfths, and tilled
with a pulpy substance. The nostrils aro linear, about 8 two! ft lis of
an inch long, and quite concealed by the wrinkles of the skin. The
aperture of the posterior, nares 8 twelfths. The loiigue is an extremely
small, papilíifornfijliody, 3¡¡ twelfths of an inch longs: ánd 1 twelfth in
diameter. The aperture of thfe'|lottis.is linear, ^twelfths in length,
destitute of papilla- behind. .
The pharynx is about 2J inches, in M f t . The oesophagus a, at
the commencement, or opposite the tongue, lia» a diameter of about 6
.inches, and contracts until the middlefik théfnáck, when! it is: 3
inches in width ; at its cntriince'into the thorax at I it contracts to
inch, but is dilatable to 3 ii»ilu#-' at, this part, its inner coat is thrown
into very prominent Ikigitudinal ruga;. The structure- of the ¿esophagus
is similar to that of the Loon alioady described, but its muscular
coat is much thinner. On entering the thorax, ii again expands to a
diameter of 3 inches. Its length from the glottis, exclusive of the proventriculus,
is 2 feet. TJm piwentrieulus, c,<l, when not extended,
has a diameter of 2 inches:, its length being A inches and 8 twelfths.
It is marked imenially with" six longitudinal broad ridges, about half
an inch in breadth, and separated by g roovesand its cuticular lining
is twelfths thick, of a compact but soft texture, elevated into tortuous
reticulated ridges.. The glandules, which *iro cylindrical, the
largest 3. twelfths of an/inch long, i twelfth in diameter, form a completé
» elongated, belt. muscular coat is also very thick, its inner
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN. 99
layer composed of transverse, its outer of longitudinal fibres, and the
greatest sthickness of the walls of the proventriculus is about
twelfths «f an inch. The stomach, e, properly so called, is extremely
small, being of- a roundish, compressed-form, inches in length, and
of the same breadth ; its muscular' coat compMSd of slender fascieuli,
and Hi*presenting a distinction into lateral and inferior muscles, ite
inner coat smooth. Appeiided to it on t t e right sidfe is ä säe/ , of a
r o u n d i s h f o m , 1Ä inch in length, and 1 j in breadth, joining it by a
contraction, of Which tlifi diameter is 4 inch, and opening directly into
r, 2
a