THE EQUIVALENTS OF THE HAKD. 117 



pea after pea; and each pea, before being eaten, 

 is most cleverly divested of its outer layer or 

 skin ; and that by the aid of the tongue and 

 beak alone, both entering into a manipulation, 

 (if the term may be allowed) of great nicety. 

 This would lead us to presume that the beak is 

 by no means destitute of sensibility ; and in the 

 skulls of several species of parrot now before 

 the writer, the furrows and orifices of nerves 

 in abundance are clearly visible on the bones 

 both of the upper and under mandible. The 

 same observation respecting the beak applies 

 also to the hard-billed finches, which are emi- 

 nently skilful in disengaging seeds from their 

 husks. If Ave Avatch a goldfinch or bullfinch 

 shell hemp-seed by means of its beak assisted 

 by the tongue, we shall not hesitate in ad- 

 mitting that the sense of tact in the beak is 

 sufficiently elevated. In the crossbill, -which 

 extricates the seeds from beneath the hard scales 

 of the pine-cones, and which has a peculiar 

 modification both of the mandibles and also of 

 the tongue, we have another example in point. 

 Indeed, we think it may be laid down as a rule, 

 that the sense of touch in birds resides in the 

 beak or tongue, and often in both ; at the same 

 time, it must be confessed that in some birds, 



