Page:The birds of America, Volume 6.djvu/197

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THE REDDISH EGRET.
147

P. J. Selby, Esq. of Twizel, Northumberland, and lately gave a pair to the Museum of the University of Edinburgh. Several specimens, which I pre- sented to His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, have been by him given to the British Museum.

In this species a long series of elongated feathers commences at the lower fourth of the neck, on each side above, the intervening space being bare for the breadth of ^ inch; they pass directly down along the back, terminating on the scapulas, at the distance of -| inch from its extremity, gradually becoming more elongated, the first being 1 inch S twelfths in length, the last 14 inches. These feathers occupy a ridge ^ inch in breadth at its lower part, and ought more peculiarly to be named scapulars, for the feathers so called, which are also elongated and tapering, run across the head of the humerus, close to its articulation. These series are terminated by four large and broad feathers of the ordinary texture. The elongated feathers on the fore part of the neck also form two similar series on each side.

The mouth is as in the preceding species, its width 10 twelfths; the lower mandible dilatable to 1 inch 5 twelfths; the tongue very small, 1 inch 7 twelfths in length, tapering to a fine point, but flattened, and very thin. (Esophagus 18 inches long, 2 inches wide at the commencement, H at the distance of 3 inches, after that uniformly 1 inch; on entering the thorax it enlarges to 1 inch 3 twelfths; and between it and the stomach is a contrac- tion, the breadth of which is 9 twelfths. The stomach is very small, of an irregular roundish form, 1 inch in diameter, compressed; its tendons 8 twelfths in breadth; the pyloric lobe 9 twelfths in length, 7 twelfths in width, being much more elongated than in the other species. The proven- tricular glands are very small, and form a complete belt H inches in breadth. The inner surface of the stomach is soft and irregularly rugous, as in the other species; that of the pyloric lobe quite smooth. Right lobe of the liver 2 inches 2 twelfths in length, left 2 inches; gall-bladder oblong, li| inches long, and 5 twelfths in breadth. Intestine 6 feet long, forming 26 folds; duodenum 2i twelfths wide; the smallest diameter 1 twelfth; rectum 4j inches long; its width 3 twelfths; cloaca globular, 1^ inches in diameter; ccecum 2 twelfths long, and of the same width.

Trachea 13 inches long, its breadth uniformly 3 twelfths. It is considerably flattened, which is not the case with the other species. The rings 180, and 4 dimidiate. Bronchial half rings 20 and IS. The muscles as in the other species.