170 Description of the Tongue and 



one direction, it must correspondingly increase in another — 

 like a bladder nearly full of water, which elongates in the 

 direction lateral to the points of pressure. 



Should the mesial fibres of this perpendicular or transverse 

 muscle be thrown into action, then the upper surface of the 

 tongue would become flattened or hollowed out. The retrac- 

 tion of the tongue is of course accomplished by the lingualis, 

 and the other motions of the organ by the other muscles as 

 ordinarily shewn. This action of the perpendicular fibres 

 also renders the tongue, when projected at the same time, 

 somewhat elastic and firmer, so as to allow of the stronger 

 action of the others in bending it in different directions ; one 

 or the other lingualis laterally, or both downwards, when the 

 lower fibres of this muscle are thrown into action ; and when 

 the upper fibres are in a similar state, the point of the tongue 

 would be directed upwards. What share the muscles of the 

 base of the organ particularly have in its motions, I do not 

 enter upon, merely having considered the actions of the free 

 part of the tongue. 



On section of the upper surface of the mucous membrane 

 between the muscular fasciculi, appear yellow oblong ovoid 

 bodies, about a line in length each, probably mucous glands, 

 or, as I had not means of deciding this point, may be particles 

 of fat, though not likely, as they only occur among the mus- 

 cular fasciculi at the upper surface, and not at the lower ex- 

 tremities of the fasciculi. When the perpendicular or 

 radiating fibres are in action, the secretions from these glands 

 would evidently be expressed out upon the surface of the 

 tongue, thereby supplying the adhesive fluid which is the 

 means employed by the ant-eater for the capture and reten- 

 tion of its insect food. The specimen of the animal which 

 I procured for the above dissection, was a female, had four 

 teats, and was 6 feet 2 inches in length from the nose to the 

 end of the tail. 



The next one which I dissected afforded the following 

 description : — The mylo-hyoid muscle, or flat muscle next the 

 skin ; — Qenio-hyoid of two bands, on each side of the mesial 

 line between the chin and hyoid-bone ; — Genio-hyoglossus 

 between the chin hyoid-bone and tongue, the lingual fibres 



