OTHER NEIGHBORS IN THE TREES. 213 



and capable of being thrust out a long distance. It ap- 

 pears as though composed of two minute muscular tubes, 

 lined within by two partial tubes, of a substance resembling 

 parchment, laid side by side, and joined together for about 

 half of their length, but separate toward the tip, near 

 which each partial tube becomes less curved, and appar- 

 ently widened, then tapers to a point, the upper edge being 

 irregularly notched or slit, the barbs pointing backward. 



7. The tongue is constantly moistened by a glutinous 

 saliva, by means of which it is enabled to seize and hold in- 

 sects. Says Martin : " It is by a pumping or sucking ac- 

 tion, as we have every reason to believe, that nectar or 

 fluids are absorbed by the tubular tongue of these birds. 

 In no other vertebrate animals, as far as we know, is the 

 tongue constructed as a tabular sucking-pump : so far, 

 the humming-birds stand alone ; and this circumstance in 

 itself, considering it with reference to organic structure, 

 might be adduced as a reason for regarding these birds as a 

 distinct order." 



8. Mr. Thomas Belt, author of "The Naturalist in 

 Nicaragua," indicates another function performed by the 

 curious cleft tongue of the humming-bird — viz., the capture 

 of insects. This organ is, for one half its length, made up 

 of a substance like rather stiff parchment, or horn, and 

 split in two. When at rest, the two halves are laid flat 

 against each other, but they can be separated at the will of 

 the bird, and form a pair of forceps, admirably adapted for 

 picking out minute insects from among the stamens of 

 flowers. 



9. We may admire the elegance of form and the quick- 

 ness of motion of these birds, but the dazzling splendor of 

 their plumage, resembling that of burnished metal or pol- 

 ished gems, changing with every change of position, has a 

 charm for the dullest observer, and a fascination for the 

 more sensitive. The wonderful change in color that takes 



