Gizzard

Japanese: 砂囊 - さのう（英語表記）gizzard

The muscular stomach in the digestive tract of birds, also known as the true stomach, is divided into the proventriculus and the gizzard. The proventriculus, also known as the glandular stomach, has numerous digestive glands on its inner wall that secrete digestive enzymes and acidic products. The gizzard is made of a thick muscular layer on the outside and is covered on the inner wall with a tough keratinous membrane. Food that has been subjected to the action of digestive enzymes and acids in the proventriculus is ground up and broken down into small pieces in the gizzard. In many birds, the gizzard contains pebbles and gravel that the bird has swallowed, which help break down food, hence the name gizzard.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

鳥類の消化管における筋肉胃で，真胃ともいう。鳥類の胃は前胃と砂囊に分かれている。前胃proventriculusは腺胃ともいい，内壁に多数の消化腺があり，消化酵素および酸性分泌物を出す。砂囊は外側が厚い筋肉層より成り，内壁は角質のじょうぶな膜でおおわれている。前胃で消化酵素や酸の作用を受けた食物は，砂囊ですりつぶされ，細かく破砕される。多くの鳥類では，砂囊中に鳥が飲み込んだ小石や砂利などがたまっていて食物の破砕を助けるので，砂囊の名がある。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

<<: Mr. Sano - Sanouji

>>: Sano