OCR Text |
Show 1882.] OF THE TOUCANS AND BARBETS. 95 freely in the abdominal cavity, is that of the Picidse. Nitzsch describes the liver of the Woodpeckers (of which he examined Gecinus viridis and canus, Dryocopus major, medius, and minor, and Picus martius) as being " immer mit ausgezeichnet langer darmfdr-miger Gallblase ;" and I can quite confirm this description as being Liver, stomach, duodenum, &c, oi Rhamphastos dicolorus, from in front, showing the peculiar intestiniform gall-badder (g. b). St, stomach; d, duodenum; p, pancreas; r. h. d, 1. h. d., right and left hepatic ducts ; c. d, cystic duct. applicable to the last-named species. Garrod also correctly noted, his MSS., the " long intestiniform gall-bladder " of Gecinus. The similarity, therefore, in this respect of the Capitonidse2 to the Picidae strengthens the many arguments for the intimate relationship of these two groups. And I may take this opportunity to point out some further peculiarities which these birds have in common with each other. These are :- (1) The great extent of the deltoid muscle, which extends down the entire length, or very nearly so, of the humerns, and is inserted 1 In Naumann's Orn. Deutschlands, v. p. 252. a I use this term, with Garrod (Coll. Papers, p. 464) to include the Toucans and Indicator, as well as the true Barbets. |