The Tetrapoda: Amphibia, Reptiles, Birds 619 



use their beaks as long spears for catching their prey, while the pelican 

 has its beak ventrally enlarged for conveying its catch. Other fish- 

 eating birds such as the merganser are able to hold fish with the ser- 

 rated edges of their bills. 



Fig. 206. — The feet of birds. A, Wading foot of greater yellowlegs; B, toti- 

 palmate foot of cormorant; C, swimming foot of blue-winged teal duck; D, general- 

 ized foot of ring-necked pheasant; E, perching foot of yellowthroat; F, raptorial foot 

 of Swainson hawk; G, syndactyl foot of kingfisher; H. lobate foot of coot; /, cling- 

 ing foot of flicker; J, running foot of ostrich. (By permission from Animal Biology 

 by Wolcott, copyright, 1946, by McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc.) 



In a few cases, the tongue is modified into a special protrusible 

 organ. Most remarkable of these is the elongated tongue of the wood- 

 pecker which actually curls up at the rear of the skull. This tongue is 

 about four times the length of the bill, and its tip is equipped with barbs 



