30 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 67 



166), Helniitherus vermivorus (fig. 169), IcteHa virens (fig. 168), 

 and OreotJilypis gutturalis (fig. 167). 



Family Tanagridae. — In some of this group the tongue is flat and 

 thin, as in Tachyphonus (fig. 170) and in Tcmm/ra (Euphonia) 

 violacea (fig. 171). In others it is fleshy, as in Thrauins darwini 

 (fig. 172), Stephanophorus leueocephalus (fig. 173), and Rampho- 

 celus hrasilius (fig. 174), while in the very large billed Pitylus 

 grossus (fig. 175) the tongue is cylindrical and fleshy while the 

 anterior half is hollowed out and scoop-shaped, very suggestive of 

 some of the finches. Phaenicophilus poliocephalus has a longer 

 tongue (fig. 177), which is considerably frayed at the tip. 



The Ploceidae have a structure very similar to the finches, with a 

 cylindrical fleshy tongue having a depression anteriorly to form 

 a scoop. This is illustrated by Munia punctuJata (fig. 178). The 

 horny under surface is often folded over the dorsum to form a 

 grooved tongue as in some of the finches and as is illustrated by 

 Steganura paradisea (fig. 179). This is seen also in Ploceus megar- 

 hynchus^ P. hengalensis, and a species of Foudia from St. Helena 

 Island. 



The Icteridae, as typified by Icteims cucidlatus nelsoni (fig. 180), 

 and Icterus icterus (fig. 3), have upcurled frayed margins to the 

 tongue which may be deeply split to form double frayed semitubu- 

 lar tips. This is found also in /. pjarisoruiiu I. waglen, I. hullocM^ 

 I. mesomelas^ and /. northropi^ all of which have tongues very sug- 

 gestive of the Coerebidae with less advanced degrees of curling. 



The blackbirds, as exemplified by Molothrus atronitens (fig. 181 )y 

 have upcurled margins without fraying, forming a guttered organ 

 with the tip somewhat whipped out. This is seen in AgeJaius 

 phoeniceus^ A. tricolor^ Molothrus ater^ and Dolichonyx oryzivorus. 

 Gymnostinops montezumae has little curling; the tip is bifurcated 

 and frayed, while Megaquiscalus major macrourus has a bifid 

 curled and much frayed organ, much like Icterus. Pseudoleistes 

 (fig. 182) has a thin tongue somewhat curled and whipped out at 

 the tip. 



The Fringillidae have cylindrical fleshy tongues, which show 

 much variation. Ordinarily the horny under surface projects beyond 

 the tip, and this is often frayed and somewhat curled so that a small 

 scoop-shaped end is formed. This same horny under surface invests 

 the lateral margins of the tongue and often curls over the dorsal sur- 

 face as indicated in Loxia leucoptera (fig. 185). The tongue may 

 have long posterior branches as in the odd form assumed by Passer 

 domesticus (fig. 183), or, as is usually the case, they are closely com- 

 pressed to the basihyal portion. It may have simply a flat surface, 

 as indicated in Oherholseria chlorura (fig. 186), or there may be a 

 deep groove formed as in Zamelodia melanocephala (fig. 191). In 



