18 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vou 67 



Order CUCULIFORMES 



In the cuckoos the tongue is rather hea\^, long-, and well provided 

 with spines. There may be considerable variation in length in the 

 same species, as illustrated by that odd form Geococcyx calif ornianus 

 (figs. 67, 68), while the color may be entirely black with white spines 

 or flesh colored with a few black spots. Saurothera dominicensis 

 (fig. 69) has much fimbriated edges which are directed forward. 

 CoGcyzus nielacorypKus has a very similar structure. C arpococcyx 

 radiatus is well armed posteriorly, but the edges are not split nor is 

 the tip. 



Order PSITTACIFORMES 



The parrots are characterized by considerable differences in 

 tongue shape. In the common grass parakeet {Melojysittacus un- 

 dulatus, fig. 72) it is flat and broad, while it is broad but hollowed 

 out in Aprosmictus cyanopyg'ms (fig. 71), Conurus auricapiUus (fig. 

 l7), and Poiocephalus senegalensis. It is tightly rolled in Gdlopsitta 

 novaehollandiae (fig 73), while, as is well laiown, it is brush tipped 

 in the Trichoglossidae, as illustrated by Psitteuteles chloroJepidota 

 (fig. 70), Glossopsitta^ Hypocharmosyna, and Trichoglossus^ and in 

 which group the tongue is used as the main taxonomic feature. 



Order CORACIIFORMES 



Coracias caudata has a lingual structure very similar to that of a 

 robin, with a horny split tip. It is not commensurate in size with 

 the heavy bill, while posteriorly there are very few spines. 



Eurystomus. In this large heavy-billed form the tongue is wide 

 and flat, the anterior one-half is horny and frayed, while at the back 

 there are three to four large heavy spines on each side. 



The motmots have flat, heavy tongues that are considerably frayed 

 laterally with laciniae that are directed forward. In Euinomotus 

 supercUiaris this is carried to such a degree that it strongly sug- 

 gests the feathered structure seen in the toucans. Momotus caerulei- 

 eeps is not unlike the tongue of Saurothera in its general appear- 

 ance. 



The todies have the anterior half thin, horny, and translucent, but 

 the edges are merely roughened and irregular and not deeply in- 

 cased. Todus muUicoJor (fig. 74) is illustrative. 



In kingfishers (Alcedinidae) this organ has become rudimentary. 

 In Ceryle alcyon (fig. 75) it is flat without the posterior row of 

 spines although Ceryle rudis may show a few. The large billed 

 Pelargopsis {Rarnphalcyon) has a structure very similar to Ceryle 

 with the exception that the tip is either square or even somewhat 



