132 INSESSORES. 



ered thet6ject of its search. Sometimes the insecta 

 have hollowed out for themselves a cavity beneath 

 the bark, extending for some distance into the wood 

 of the tree. These it dislodges by means of its 

 long tongue, which is barbed at the extremity, and 

 capable of being protruded to a great distance beyond 

 the point of the beak. The tongue is supported by 

 a series of small bones and cartilages, which find 

 their origin upon the forehead on each side of the 

 base of the bill. At first they lie pretty close to- 

 gether, but soon separate gradually, each passing 

 round the back part of the head, and entering the 

 mouth immediately below the ear, come together at 

 a point near the base of the bill. That part of the 

 tongue which lies between this point and the end of 

 the bill, is of a fleshy, worm-like appearance, and 

 ends in a slender, bony point, armed on either side 

 with sharp prickles, directed backward, but not capa- 

 ble of being moved forward. This barbed point is 

 particularly serviceable in drawing out from their 

 close concealment the heavy larvae, which sometimes 

 measure two or three inches in length. 



The protrusion of the tongue is produced by the 

 action of a pair of muscles, secured to the lower jaw 

 near the base of the lower mandible, and running 

 backward nearly the entire length of the bony pro- 

 cess of the tongue. The position of the different 

 parts, and the singular structure of this important 

 member, will be better understood by reference to 

 the figure on the next page. With the bill it also 

 digs out of the solid wood a hole in which to raise 



