﻿1Q 
  PROCEEDINGS 
  OF 
  THE 
  NATIONAL 
  MUSEUM 
  vol. 
  67 
  

  

  The 
  tongue 
  of 
  the 
  lammergeier 
  Gypaetus 
  barbatus 
  (fig. 
  36) 
  is 
  

   very 
  much 
  curled 
  in 
  the 
  anterior 
  third 
  and 
  converted 
  into 
  a 
  scoop 
  

   or 
  trough-like 
  structure. 
  

  

  In 
  searching 
  for 
  evidences 
  of 
  affinity 
  one 
  is 
  struck 
  by 
  the 
  close 
  simi- 
  

   larity 
  of 
  the 
  heavy, 
  rasping, 
  mucous 
  gland 
  bearing, 
  spinose 
  tongues 
  

   of 
  the 
  owls, 
  which 
  with 
  their 
  multiple 
  rows 
  of 
  spines, 
  resemble 
  the 
  

   Falconidae. 
  A 
  connecting 
  link 
  to 
  the 
  Buteonidae 
  indeed 
  would 
  

   seem 
  to 
  be 
  shown 
  through 
  the 
  hawk 
  owl 
  (Surnia 
  ulula, 
  fig. 
  44). 
  

   Since 
  other 
  evidence 
  does 
  not 
  support 
  this 
  appearance 
  of 
  relation- 
  

   ship 
  it 
  is 
  apparent 
  that 
  convergent 
  evolution 
  and 
  similarity 
  of 
  diet 
  

   have 
  so 
  altered 
  this 
  organ 
  in 
  these 
  divergent 
  types 
  that 
  little 
  de- 
  

   pendence 
  may 
  be 
  placed 
  on 
  it 
  outside 
  of 
  limited 
  groups. 
  

  

  The 
  Galliformes, 
  so 
  far 
  as 
  has 
  been 
  determined, 
  all 
  have 
  fleshy 
  

   tongues, 
  varying 
  with 
  the 
  length 
  of 
  the 
  bill, 
  usually 
  somewhat 
  

   grooved 
  and 
  provided 
  with 
  a 
  single 
  row 
  of 
  rather 
  prominent 
  pos- 
  

   terior 
  spines. 
  

  

  The 
  hoatzin 
  Opisthocomus 
  cristatus 
  (fig. 
  45) 
  has 
  a 
  triangular- 
  

   shaped 
  flat 
  tongue 
  the 
  surface 
  of 
  which 
  is 
  set 
  with 
  small 
  spinules. 
  

  

  Order 
  GRUIFORMES 
  

  

  The 
  Rallidae 
  have 
  simple 
  fleshy 
  tongues 
  varying 
  in 
  length 
  with 
  

   the 
  length 
  of 
  the 
  bill. 
  They 
  are 
  'upcurled 
  along 
  the 
  edges 
  to 
  form 
  

   long, 
  slender, 
  guttered 
  or 
  grooved 
  organs 
  that 
  are 
  usually 
  frayed 
  at 
  

   the 
  tip 
  and 
  provided 
  posteriorly 
  with 
  short 
  and 
  rather 
  inconspicuous 
  

   spines. 
  They 
  are 
  long 
  and 
  slender 
  in 
  Pardirallus 
  r. 
  rytirhynchos, 
  

   Rallus 
  levipes 
  (fig. 
  47) 
  , 
  Neocrex 
  erythrops, 
  and 
  Hypotaenidia 
  waken- 
  

   sis, 
  while 
  in 
  the 
  coots 
  (Fidica 
  americana, 
  fig. 
  53) 
  and 
  gallinules 
  

   (Gallinula 
  galeata, 
  fig. 
  30, 
  and 
  Ionomis 
  martinica, 
  fig. 
  59) 
  they 
  are 
  

   shorter 
  and 
  broad, 
  and 
  the 
  same 
  holds 
  true 
  for 
  Porzana 
  Carolina. 
  

   The 
  Weka 
  rail 
  Ocydromus 
  earli 
  has 
  a 
  rather 
  large 
  and 
  heavy 
  one 
  

   which 
  anteriorly 
  is 
  trough 
  shaped, 
  the 
  edges 
  and 
  tip 
  of 
  which 
  are 
  

   split 
  to 
  form 
  stiff 
  forwardly 
  directed 
  fimbriations. 
  

  

  Aramidae: 
  Aramus 
  vociferus 
  (fig. 
  49) 
  has 
  a 
  long 
  slender 
  tongue 
  

   considerably 
  split 
  at 
  the 
  tip. 
  

  

  Psophiidae: 
  Psophia 
  leucoptera 
  has 
  rather 
  prominent 
  posterior 
  

   spines. 
  The 
  tip 
  is 
  characteristically 
  frayed 
  and 
  the 
  general 
  appear- 
  

   ance 
  not 
  at 
  all 
  unlike 
  that 
  seen 
  in 
  rails. 
  

  

  Otididae 
  : 
  Otis 
  tarda 
  has 
  a 
  flat 
  tongue 
  that 
  is 
  heavily 
  armed 
  with 
  

   powerful 
  spines 
  along 
  the 
  posterior 
  edge 
  and 
  the 
  lateral 
  borders 
  

   for 
  two-thirds 
  of 
  the 
  distance 
  between 
  base 
  and 
  tip. 
  This 
  is 
  rather 
  

   suggestive 
  of 
  the 
  tearing 
  organ 
  seen 
  in 
  the 
  geese. 
  

  

  Rhinochetidae 
  : 
  Rhinochetus 
  jubatus 
  has 
  a 
  long, 
  slender 
  tongue 
  

   with 
  weak 
  posterior 
  spines, 
  very 
  slightly 
  grooved 
  and 
  ending 
  in 
  a 
  

   cornified 
  tip 
  that 
  is 
  somewhat 
  frayed. 
  

  

  Eurypygidae: 
  Eurypyga 
  helias 
  (fig. 
  52). 
  

  

  