ANATOMY OF THE TAKIN. 205 



The tongue of this Takin measures 270 mm, in length, and in 

 front, where it is broadly rounded, 60 mm. in breadth, narrowing 

 to 50 mm. in the middle and expanding again posteriorly to a 

 width of 65 mm. Its dimensions thus correspond almost exactly 

 with those of the adult male Musk-ox described by Lonnberg. 

 160 mm. from the anterior border is a transverse depression, 

 slightly convex anteriorly, behind which the tongue shows the 

 usual convexity of the posterior part of this organ. The position 

 of the transverse gTOOve, more than half way back on the tongue 

 surface, is a point in which the Takin differs from the Musk-ox, 

 agreeing with the Gnu. 



On the anterior fiat portion filiform and fungiform papillae ai'e 

 found. These extend on to the under surface for a distance of 

 5 mm, back from the tip, but over the lateral border, 40 mm. 

 back, they cover 15 mm. of the lower aspect. In this respect 

 Budorcas resembles the Musk-ox, Gnu, Reindeer, Sheep, and 

 Goat, but difl^ers from Bos. As in Ovihos and Connochcetes^ the 

 fungiform papillas are very numerous on the under surface. 



The filiform papillae are small and flat in the centre, only just 

 distinguishable to the naked eye and very closely set. Towards 

 the sides they become more filiform and rather less flattened, and 

 the same process of alteration in form takes place from before 

 backwards, those at the sides being always more filiform than the 

 central ones at the same transverse level. 



80 mm, from the tip the lateral papillse are distinctly elongated, 

 tapering and recurved, a similar elongation of the central ones 

 being found 40 mm, further back. In the ti-ansverse groove the 

 papillfe are 2 mm. in length, and 1 mm. broad at the base, tapering 

 to a fine point. In the greater narrowness and pointedness of 

 the filiform papillte the Takin is more like Bos than Ovis, Ovibos, 

 or Antilope cervicapra. 



The fungiform papillee are small and scattered in the anterior 

 central region ; they have to be looked for here, while on the 

 sides and at the tip they ore the most noticeable structures on 

 the tongue surface and are set about 3 mm. apart. In the 

 middle of the tongue they become more prominent, but there are 

 not many in the region lying between the groove and a line 

 7 mm. from the anterior border. At the sides and back of the 

 central region these papillae are about | a millimetre in diametei-. 

 Around the groove they are more numerous and measure 1 mm. 

 across. In Bos, Ovis, Gapra, and Capreolus fungiform papillae are 

 entirely absent on the central part of the anterior half of the 

 tongue. The presence of small scattered fungiform papillae in 

 this region is characteristic of Ovibos, Connochcetes, and Rangifer. 

 In the posterior part of the tongue behind the sulcus the 

 filiform papillae aie long and recurved in the central region, 

 becoming gradiially shorter, thinner, and more hairlike laterally 

 until on the lateral mai-gin they are merely i-aised dots. 

 Proceeding backwards the same transitioi:i takes place, but rather 

 more rapidly. The fungiform papillae increase in size as they 

 pass backwards, becoming 2 mm. in diameter at- the back. 



