. Annals of natural history. Natural history; Botany; Zoology; Geology. of Upupa and Irrisor. 241 long-billed birds the interior of both mandibles is provided with a hollow space for the reception and action of a lengthened tongue, or for the temporary retention of their food. This very remarkable and peculiar structure has been noticed by no author (as far I am aware) except Wagler, who in his definitions of Upupa and Epimachus, in which last genus he includes Irrisor, notices this character, but without making any comment on its singularity. It is sufficiently evident from this structure tha
. Annals of natural history. Natural history; Botany; Zoology; Geology. of Upupa and Irrisor. 241 long-billed birds the interior of both mandibles is provided with a hollow space for the reception and action of a lengthened tongue, or for the temporary retention of their food. This very remarkable and peculiar structure has been noticed by no author (as far I am aware) except Wagler, who in his definitions of Upupa and Epimachus, in which last genus he includes Irrisor, notices this character, but without making any comment on its singularity. It is sufficiently evident from this structure that both Upupa and Irrisor have very little affinity to the Tenuiros^ tres, in which the tongue is remarkably lengthened and adapted to the purposes of suction, and Irrisor cannot therefore be referred to the Nectariniidce, as supposed by the Baron de la Fresnaye. The fact is, that the beaks of these birds are not constructed for suction but for probing, i. e. for reaching into deep holes and cre- vices in quest of the larvse of insects. We know that the hoopoe obtains its food by inserting its beak into the holes made in the ground by coprophagous insects, and it is probable that the hri- sor feeds in a similar manner upon the larvse which perforate decayed trees. The beaks of these two genera of birds present another cha- racter unnoticed by all previous authors, and, like the former one, believed to be peculiar to these two genera alone. The basal and medial portion of the ridge of both mandibles is obtusely and roundedly carinate, but in proceeding towards the apex, the ridge first becomes flattened, then hollowed, and at last deeply grooved. In the Irrisor this flattened portion commences in both mandi- bles about the middle of the beak, and soon changes into a flat- bottomed groove, which towards the apex is divided into two by a fine intermediate ridge. In Upupa the flat space commences about two-thirds of the total length from the base, and wants the intermediate ridge. W
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