132 
INS ESS ORES. 
ered the object of its search. Sometimes the insects 
have hollowed out for themselves a cavity beneath 
the bark, extending for some distance into the wood 
of the tree. These it dislodges by means of its 
long tongue, which is barbed at the extremity, and 
capable of being protruded to a great distance beyond 
the point of the beak. The tongue is supported by • 
a series of small bones and cartilages, which find 
their origin upon the forehead on each side of the 
base of the bill. At first they lie pretty close to- 
gether, but soon separate gradually, each passing 
round the back part of the head, and entering the 
mouth immediately below the ear, come together at 
a point near the base of the bill. That part of the 
tongue which lies between this point and the end of 
the bill, is of a fleshy, worm-like appearance, and 
ends in a slender, bony point, armed on either side 
with sharp prickles, directed backward, but not capa- 
ble of being moved forward. This barbed point is 
particularly serviceable in drawing out from their 
close concealment the heavy larvae, which sometimes 
measure two or three inches in length. 
The protrusion of the tongue is produced by the 
action of a pair of muscles, secured to the lower jaw 
near the base of the lower mandible, and running 
backward nearly the entire length of the bony pro- 
cess of the tongue. The position of the different 
parts, and the singular structure of this important 
member, will be better understood by reference to 
the figure on the next page. With the bill it also 
digs out of the solid wood a hole in which to raise 
