INTRODUCTION. 



ix 



below is exhibited the shape of one of these bills with toothed 

 mandibles. 



Within this horny sheath lies snugly coiled up that curious in- 

 strument, — 



THE TGITOUE, 



which is very similar to that of the Woodpeckers, and some 

 other of our climbing insectivorous birds ; it is very long and re- 

 tractile, that is, capable of being drawn back into a small compass, 

 so it lies, while the bill is busy opening the way into the nec- 

 taries of the flowers, or exploring small crevices wherein minute 

 insects lie concealed; as soon as the prey is discovered, the 

 tongue is darted out with great force and swiftness, and then as 

 rapidly withdrawn to convey the delicious morsel to the throat. 

 It was at one time supposed that these birds lived entirely on the 

 sweet juices of plants, but recent investigation has placed it beyond 

 a doubt that they are, at all events, partly insectivorous; some 

 which have been kept in confinement on sugar and water, of which 

 they have partaken with, great eagerness, have after a while been 

 observed to droop and refuse this kind of food, but have returned 

 to it with as much relish as ever, after enjoying a change of diet 

 in the sbape of young spiders, or some other small insects. But 

 let us finisb our description of the tongue, which is a double in- 

 strument, consisting of two muscular tubes joined together for the 

 greater part of its lengtb, but towards the top swelling out into 



a spoon-like form, or rather like that of tbe port crayons, used 

 for holding coloured chalks for drawing, as it divides into two 

 distinct portions, each, of which tapers to a point, as shewn in the 

 above cut, where may also be seen tbe muscular continuation 

 of tbe tube which passes round the back of the skull, and coming 

 over the front, meets in a point a little beyond the line of the 

 eyes. 



