THE WOODPECKERS. 
3 
(C T 
for species the hyoid cornua slide 
in sheath as the tongue is retracte 
backwards and 
, 'n the sheath as the tongue is retracted or protruded ; 
g j ns in the common English Green Woodpecker, their 
s are fixed to the sheath, and the protrusion of the tongue 
din^'^^^'^ by the action of the genio-hyoid (protractor lingua) 
^V^'^bing the curve in which the cornua lie when the tongue 
's Withdrawn.” 
curious anatomical feature in the Woodpeckers is 
5pi- the base of the skull, the vomer being slender and 
' ) with the lateral halves separated. The late Professor 
of'n ' skull of Dendrocoptts ?najor (enlarged). [From Hic Cata- 
Surgeoj^ Osteological Specimens in the Museum of the Royal College of 
mpl. p, maxillo-palatine process, pi. palatine, pg. pterygoid. 
i-^nrker described this feature of the Woodpecker’s 
tilm„ snurognathous,” on account of its Saurian or Rep- 
of characters may be added for the definition 
avian ®iib-order, and may be found in all recent works on 
^^Datomy, but they need not be further mentioned here. 
The woodpeckers, family picidhi:. 
Family ,Fbward Hargitt, our best authority on this 
forniatio^ g whose work we are indebted for much of the in- 
n here given, divides the Picida into three Sub-families, 
B 2 
