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Show 292 MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON THE INDIAN DARTER. [Apr. 5, there are a few points, however, to which Mr. Forbes does not refer. To these I have naturally paid particular attention. As regards the musculature, Mr. Forbes only refers to some of the muscles of the neck ; but, Fiirbringer having dissected the shoulder-muscles, I have confined m y attention to the muscles of the hind limb. Myology. As I have already said, the muscles of the anterior limb have been described by Fiirbringer. In the hind limb I find no noteworthy differences from P. anhinga. The " muscle formula " is the same, i.e. AX-f. The Semitendinosus is a comparatively slight muscle; Garrod speaks of it in P. anhinga as being very large. It arises entirely from the pubis, and is inserted in common with the Semimembranosus. The Semimembranosus is a very large and stout muscle; at its origin it is nearly as wide as the Biceps; it is inserted by a strong flat tendon, on to which tendon, just at its commencement, is inserted the Semitendinosus. There are two Adductors, of which the inner is much the largest; this muscle is tendinous at its origin, and it has also a tendinous insertion of some length on to the underside of the femur. The Gastrocnemius has the usual three heads of origin : the middle head arises partly from the innermost adductor, and also bv a very slender tendon from the Semimembranosus. The Tibialis anticus has a single and undivided tendon ; in many birds the tendon of this muscle splits into two at its insertion. There are two Peroneals present; the Peroneus longus is, as is invariably the case with this muscle when present, attached to the tendon of one of the deep flexors. As to the deep flexors, the Flexor hallucis is bound by a strong vinculum to the Flexor profundus just at its trifurcation. Viscera. The accompanying drawing (fig. 1, p. 293) illustrates the very rudimentary tongue. Mr. Forbes does not mention the tongue, though it might be inferred from his silence on the point that the organ resembles that of Plotus anhinga. I have thought it worth while to have a drawing prepared, as this structure has not been, to the best of my knowledge, figured. Professor Garrod's remark that " the tongue, as an independent organ, does not exist" applies to Plotus melanogaster no less than to Plotus anhinga; there is in the former species, as apparently in the latter, a minute process, shown in the drawing, which is all that is left of the tono-ue. I may remark that the right lobe of the Tiver, as in P. anhinga, is larger than the left; and that there is a well-developed gall-bladder (see fig. 2, p. 294), the duct of which opens as shown in the drawing. |
