﻿18 
  PROCEEDINGS 
  OF 
  THE 
  NATIONAL 
  MUSEUM 
  vou 
  67 
  

  

  Order 
  CUCULIFORMES 
  

  

  In 
  the 
  cuckoos 
  the 
  tongue 
  is 
  rather 
  heavy, 
  long-, 
  and 
  well 
  provided 
  

   with 
  spines. 
  There 
  may 
  be 
  considerable 
  variation 
  in 
  length 
  in 
  the 
  

   same 
  species, 
  as 
  illustrated 
  by 
  that 
  odd 
  form 
  Geococcyx 
  calif 
  omianus 
  

   (figs. 
  67, 
  68), 
  while 
  the 
  color 
  may 
  be 
  entirely 
  black 
  with 
  white 
  spines 
  

   or 
  flesh 
  colored 
  with 
  a 
  few 
  black 
  spots. 
  SaurotJiera 
  dominicensis 
  

   (fig. 
  69) 
  has 
  much 
  fimbriated 
  edges 
  which 
  are 
  directed 
  forward. 
  

   Coccyzus 
  melacoryphus 
  has 
  a 
  very 
  similar 
  structure. 
  C 
  arpococcyx 
  

   radiatus 
  is 
  well 
  armed 
  posteriorly, 
  but 
  the 
  edges 
  are 
  not 
  split 
  nor 
  is 
  

   the 
  tip. 
  

  

  Order 
  PSITTACIFORMES 
  

  

  The 
  parrots 
  are 
  characterized 
  by 
  considerable 
  differences 
  in 
  

   tongue 
  shape. 
  In 
  the 
  common 
  grass 
  parakeet 
  (Melopsittacus 
  un- 
  

   dutatus, 
  fig. 
  72) 
  it 
  is 
  flat 
  and 
  broad, 
  while 
  it 
  is 
  broad 
  but 
  hollowed 
  

   out 
  in 
  Aprosmictus 
  cyanopygius 
  (fig. 
  71), 
  Conurus 
  auricapillus 
  (fig. 
  

   17), 
  and 
  Poioceplialus 
  senegalensis. 
  It 
  is 
  tightly 
  rolled 
  in 
  Calopsitta 
  

   novaehollandiae 
  (fig 
  73), 
  while, 
  as 
  is 
  well 
  known, 
  it 
  is 
  brush 
  tipped 
  

   in 
  the 
  Trichoglossidae, 
  as 
  illustrated 
  by 
  Psitteuteles 
  chlorolepidota 
  

   (fig. 
  70), 
  Glossopsltta, 
  Hypocharmosyna, 
  and 
  Triehoglossus, 
  and 
  in 
  

   which 
  group 
  the 
  tongue 
  is 
  used 
  as 
  the 
  main 
  taxonomic 
  feature. 
  

  

  Order 
  CORACIIFORMES 
  

  

  Coracias 
  caudata 
  has 
  a 
  lingual 
  structure 
  very 
  similar 
  to 
  that 
  of 
  a 
  

   robin, 
  with 
  a 
  horny 
  split 
  tip. 
  It 
  is 
  not 
  commensurate 
  in 
  size 
  with 
  

   the 
  heavy 
  bill, 
  while 
  posteriorly 
  there 
  are 
  very 
  few 
  spines. 
  

  

  Eurystomus. 
  In 
  this 
  large 
  heavy-billed 
  form 
  the 
  tongue 
  is 
  wide 
  

   and 
  flat, 
  the 
  anterior 
  one-half 
  is 
  horny 
  and 
  frayed, 
  while 
  at 
  the 
  back 
  

   there 
  are 
  three 
  to 
  four 
  large 
  heavy 
  spines 
  on 
  each 
  side. 
  

  

  The 
  motmots 
  have 
  flat, 
  heavy 
  tongues 
  that 
  are 
  considerably 
  frayed 
  

   laterally 
  with 
  laciniae 
  that 
  are 
  directed 
  forward. 
  In 
  Eumomotus 
  

   swperciliaris 
  this 
  is 
  carried 
  to 
  such 
  a 
  degree 
  that 
  it 
  strongly 
  sug- 
  

   gests 
  the 
  feathered 
  structure 
  seen 
  in 
  the 
  toucans. 
  Momotus 
  caerulei- 
  

   ceps 
  is 
  not 
  unlike 
  the 
  tongue 
  of 
  Saurothera 
  in 
  its 
  general 
  appear- 
  

   ance. 
  

  

  The 
  todhs 
  have 
  the 
  anterior 
  half 
  thin, 
  horny, 
  and 
  translucent, 
  but 
  

   the 
  edges 
  are 
  merely 
  roughened 
  and 
  irregular 
  and 
  not 
  deeply 
  in- 
  

   cised. 
  Todvs 
  id 
  ult 
  trot 
  or 
  (fig. 
  74) 
  is 
  illustrative. 
  

  

  In 
  kingfishers 
  (Alcedinidae) 
  this 
  organ 
  has 
  become 
  rudimentary. 
  

   In 
  Ceryle 
  oleyon 
  (fig. 
  75) 
  it 
  is 
  flat 
  without 
  the 
  posterior 
  row 
  of 
  

   spines 
  although 
  Ceryle 
  rudis 
  may 
  show 
  a 
  few. 
  The 
  large 
  billed 
  

   Pelargopsis 
  (Ramphalcyon) 
  has 
  a 
  structure 
  very 
  similar 
  to 
  Ceryle 
  

   with 
  the 
  exception 
  that 
  the 
  tip 
  is 
  either 
  square 
  or 
  even 
  somewhat 
  

  

  