98 FACULTIES OF BIRDS. 



which forms the under part of the tongue. The 

 whole is covered by a very thin scarf-skin (epidermis), 

 with a black pigment beneath it, the whole structure 

 being evidently well fitted for an organ of taste*. 

 We may remark in passing, that it is an erroneous 

 notion to suppose it is the thick tongue of parrots 

 which enables them to speak ; for starlings and mag- 

 pies speak as well, and they have slender tongues f. 



In considering the organs of taste, it would be 

 wrong to overlook the teeth, though they appear to 

 be chiefly affected by acids, and by things which are 

 very cold or very hot. M. Majendie mentions the 

 experiments of a French dentist, which appear to prove 

 that the teeth imbibe liquids ; but except in the case 

 of acids, which act upon them by combining with 

 the lime in the enamel or the bone, we do not see 

 that the fact could be maintained. In another point 

 of view, which we have not met with in authors, we 

 may consider the teeth as exercising a function inter- 

 mediate, if we may say so, between taste and touch, 

 by ascertaining the hardness, softness, tenacity, elas- 

 ticity and similar qualities of food, and we think it 

 highly probable that it is in this way the little birds 

 we have just mentioned ascertain the qualities of 

 the berries which they fed upon or rejected J. The 

 horny portion of a bird's bill, indeed, is a good deal 

 similar in function to the teeth of other animals ; and 

 upon this similarity M. Geoffrey St. Hilaire has pub- 

 lished some curious facts in support of what he de- 

 nominates his 'Theory of Analogues.' Though he 

 says it may be considered a piece of pleasantry to 

 assert that fowls have teeth, yet he finds he can not 

 only keep his ground upon the point, but discovers 

 every day fresh confirmatory facts, though as high an 

 authority as he Blumenbach says " the jaws of 

 birds are wholly destitute of teeth." He was led to the 



* Anat. Comparee, p. 259. t J. R. J J. R. 



Comp. Anat. . 49. 



