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is readily done by a knife, the internal ftruCture is fibrous like the human
na il: the direction of the fibres is from the crown downwards.
Between the cheek and the jaw, on each fide o f the mouth, there
is a pouch, as in the monkey tribe, lined with a cuticle. When
laid open, it is i § inch long, and the fame in breadth. In the
female it contained a concreted fubftance, the fize o f a very fmall
nut, one in each pouch: this, when examined through the microfcope,
was found to be made up o f very fmall portions of broken cryftals.
Befides thefe grinding teeth, there are two fmall pointed horny
teeth upon the ' projecting part of the pofterior portion o f the
tongue, the points o f which are aireaed forwards, feemingly to
prevent the food from being puflied into the fauces during the
procefs of maftication; which circumftance Mr. Home thinks peculiar
to this animal: in the tongue o f the flamingo there is a row of
Ihort teeth on each fide, but riot in any other bird that he has
feen.
The fore legs are fhort, and the feet webbed. On each foot
there are five toes, united by the web, which is very broad, and
is continued beyond the points of the toes nearly an inch. On
each toe there is a rounded ftraight nail, which lies loofe upon the
membrane forming the web.
The hind legs are nearly p f the fame length as the fore legs, but
ftronger. Each foot has five toes with curved claws, and
webbed ; but the web does not extend beyond the points o f the
toes.
In the male, juft at the fetting-on o f the heel, there is a ftrong
crooked fpur, half an inch long, with a fharp point, which has-a
joint between it and the foot, and is capable o f motion in two
directions. When the point of it is brought clofe to the leg,
the fpur is almoft completely concealed among the hair ; when directed
outwards, it projects confiderably, and is very confpicuous.
It is probably by means o f thefe fpurs, or hooks, that the female is
kept from withdrawing herl'elf in the a d of. copulation; fince
i they
they are very conveniently placed for laying hold o f her body
on that particular occafion. This fpur is peculiar to the male.
The tail, in its general ftiape, is very fimilar to that of the beaver.
Of the internal parts, the tongue is two inches long, lying in the
hollow between the two jaws, but not projecting any way into
the bill, being confined to its fituation, except a very fmall portion
at the tip.
The ribs are fixteen in number, and are united by a very elaftic
ligamentous fubftance, which admits o f their being pulled to fome
diftance ; fo that the capacity o f the cheft can undergo a , very un-
ufual degree o f change.
The heart is fituated in the middle line o f the cheft, its apex
pointing to the fternum, and is inclofed in a ftrong pericardium : it
is made up o f two auricles and two ventricles.
The lungs are large in fize, correfponding to the capacity o f the
cheft. Inftead o f a portion o f them being above the heart, as in
other animals, the heart may be faid to be above the lungs ; for
they only embrace its Tides, and do not furround its upper furface,
but extend downwards into the more moveable part o f the cavity
of the cheft.
The ftomach is fmaller than in moft other animals; in this re-
fpeCt refembling the true ftomach of birds.
The liver is compofed of four lobes, befides the fmall lobe, or lo-
bulus fpigelii. The gall bladder is in the ufual fituation, and of
the common fize.
The fkull is rather flattened upon the upper furface: its cavity,
is capacious, and there is a boney procefs projecting from the
cranium, in place of the falx or dura mater. This Mr. Home believes
is riot the cafe in any other quadruped.
The olfaCtory nerves are fmall, and fo are the optic nerves; but
the fifth pair, which fupply the mufcles o f the face, are uncommonly
large. From this circumftance, we Ihould be led, Mr.
Home fays, to believe, that the fenfibility o f the different parts of
the