﻿art. 
  19 
  CONCERNING 
  BIRDS 
  ' 
  TONGUES 
  GARDNER 
  21 
  

  

  Lucas 
  11 
  pointed 
  out 
  in 
  the 
  case 
  of 
  Gollocalia 
  (fig. 
  85, 
  after 
  Lucas) 
  

   while 
  others 
  have 
  a 
  longer, 
  more 
  slender 
  tongue 
  somewhat 
  curled 
  

   as 
  in 
  the 
  tree 
  swift 
  Macro 
  fteryx 
  coronata 
  (fig. 
  82). 
  

  

  The 
  humming 
  birds 
  (Trochilidae), 
  however, 
  have 
  most 
  character- 
  

   istic 
  tongues, 
  which 
  are 
  distinct 
  from 
  any 
  others 
  in 
  the 
  class 
  of 
  

   Birds. 
  The 
  cartilaginous 
  portions 
  of 
  the 
  ceratohyals 
  are 
  divided 
  in 
  

   the 
  anterior 
  half 
  of 
  the 
  tongue 
  to 
  form 
  separate 
  shafts. 
  These 
  are 
  

   invested 
  with 
  a 
  membranous 
  covering 
  which 
  is 
  expanded 
  as 
  a 
  lateral 
  

   flange 
  at 
  the 
  tip, 
  but 
  which 
  inrolls 
  as 
  the 
  base 
  of 
  the 
  tongue 
  is 
  

   approached 
  to 
  form 
  a 
  rolled 
  membranous 
  tube 
  on 
  each 
  side. 
  (See 
  

   fig. 
  86, 
  Calypte 
  anna.) 
  

  

  It 
  is 
  not 
  composed 
  of 
  parallel 
  muscular 
  tubes, 
  as 
  has 
  often 
  been 
  

   described, 
  for 
  the 
  cartilaginous 
  shafts 
  of 
  the 
  tongue 
  are 
  solid 
  ; 
  but 
  it 
  

   is 
  the 
  inrolled 
  fringe 
  of 
  membrane 
  along 
  the 
  lateral 
  margins 
  of 
  

   these 
  shafts 
  that 
  make 
  up 
  the 
  capillary 
  tubes. 
  This 
  is 
  an 
  entirely 
  

   different 
  condition 
  than 
  prevails 
  in 
  the 
  passerine 
  flower 
  frequenters 
  

   where 
  two 
  or 
  more 
  muscular 
  tubes 
  are 
  formed 
  by 
  splitting 
  and 
  curl- 
  

   ing 
  of 
  the 
  body 
  of 
  the 
  tongue 
  itself. 
  

  

  It 
  is 
  very 
  elastic 
  in 
  the 
  humming 
  birds 
  and 
  capable 
  of 
  great 
  pro- 
  

   trusion, 
  the 
  hyoid 
  apparatus 
  also 
  being 
  especially 
  long 
  to 
  permit 
  of 
  

   this 
  action. 
  

  

  This 
  is 
  a 
  most 
  characteristic 
  organ 
  which 
  readily 
  identifies 
  any 
  

   bird 
  possessing 
  it 
  as 
  a 
  member 
  of 
  this 
  family, 
  and 
  while 
  markedly 
  

   modified 
  in 
  response 
  to 
  flower-feeding 
  habits 
  is 
  nevertheless 
  dis- 
  

   tinctive 
  of 
  the 
  group 
  and 
  hence 
  of 
  taxonomic 
  value. 
  

  

  The 
  trogons 
  have 
  flat, 
  heavy 
  tongues 
  supplied 
  with 
  numerous 
  

   spines 
  and 
  with 
  a 
  cornified 
  tip. 
  There 
  is 
  a 
  central 
  groove 
  bordered 
  

   by 
  raised 
  margins, 
  a 
  condition 
  most 
  unusual 
  and 
  not 
  seen 
  elsewhere, 
  

   except 
  in 
  members 
  of 
  the 
  next 
  group. 
  [Pyrotrogon 
  neglectus, 
  fig. 
  21.) 
  

  

  The 
  puff-birds 
  (Bucconidae) 
  have 
  odd 
  flat 
  tongues 
  that 
  about 
  the 
  

   center 
  widen 
  to 
  form 
  prominent 
  shoulders, 
  gradually 
  narrowing 
  

   from 
  this 
  point 
  anteriorly 
  to 
  a 
  blunt 
  tip. 
  The 
  surface 
  is 
  flat 
  except 
  

   in 
  the 
  anterior 
  third, 
  where 
  a 
  groove 
  is 
  seen, 
  the 
  margins 
  of 
  which 
  

   are 
  raised 
  forming 
  parallel 
  prominent 
  ridges 
  on 
  the 
  surface. 
  This 
  is 
  

   well 
  illustrated 
  by 
  Bucco 
  oicinctus 
  (fig. 
  83) 
  and 
  is 
  also 
  seen 
  in 
  

   Notharchus 
  dysoni 
  and 
  Nystalus 
  maculatus 
  striatipectus. 
  These 
  are 
  

   very 
  unusual 
  appearing 
  structures 
  the 
  exact 
  functions 
  of 
  which 
  are 
  

   not 
  known. 
  

  

  The 
  Ramphastidae 
  are 
  characterized 
  by 
  exceptionally 
  odd 
  feath- 
  

   ered 
  tongues 
  which 
  are 
  long 
  and 
  narrow 
  and 
  with 
  deeply 
  incised 
  

   lateral 
  margins 
  forming 
  anteriorly 
  directed 
  laminae. 
  The 
  fleshy 
  

   hyoidean 
  portion 
  forms 
  but 
  a 
  small 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  tongue 
  posteriorly 
  

   while 
  anterior 
  to 
  this 
  it 
  becomes 
  thin, 
  horny, 
  and 
  translucent. 
  This 
  

  

  11 
  The 
  Auk, 
  vol. 
  13, 
  pp. 
  109-115, 
  April, 
  1896. 
  

  

  