596 Zoological Proceedings of Societies. 



The tongue of the GiraiFa, besides being the organ of taste, 

 has many properties of the proboscis of the Elephant. The 

 latter is incapable of elongation it is true, while the former may- 

 be extended to seventeen inches in length. The authour ob- 

 serves, that some mechanism must exist by which this elon- 

 gation can be performed, but that an opportunity of examination 

 after death would be requisite to decide on its nature. The 

 tongue of rein-deer offers an analogy to this, the cause of which, 

 however, he has not been able to trace for want of time. The 

 chamaeleon can dart out its tongue to the extent of twelve inches, 

 and for this purpose, as well as to direct its motion, it has a 

 conical bone inclosed in a muscular tube, the fibres of which 

 are circular, and aid by their pressure to make the bone slide 

 forwards. The Giraffa wants the receptacle for water, which 

 the Camel and Dromedary possess, this organ being unnecessary 

 for it as it feeds on succulent plants ; neither has it the padded 

 hoof to fit it for travelling in sand, but two toes defended by a 

 horny covering, to enable it to climb rocky ground without 

 stumbling. Its long neck consists of only seven bones, being 

 the same number that occurs in the human skeleton. The 

 tongue is very smooth and slightly adhesive ; it is spotted, but 

 the spots are not raised. Its favourite food is the Acacia tree, 

 of that species now called Acacia Xariffa^ which has a pleasant 

 flavour both boiled and raw, and the twigs of which are suc- 

 culent. The tongue, being much exposed to the sun, has a 

 black rete mucosum to prevent its being blistered. Drawings, 

 by Mr. Cross, exhibit the mode in which it lays hold of the 

 branches of trees. It drinks milk, first rincing out its mouth 

 with a portion, and rejecting that so employed. It chews the 

 cud, its body being then recumbent, and its head and neck 

 erect. 



The organ of vision of the Cobitis anableps^ is very remarkable. 

 The authour first exposes the errors of Artedi and his followers 

 in their description of this animal : he then states that the 

 cornea being removed, the iris is exposed, which has an appear- 



nce of two pupils. On more accurate examination, this ap- 

 pearance is seen to arise from two lateral projecting portions. 



