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Show 1883.] ON THE TONGUES OF THE MARSUPIALS. 599 tions of the body in Lucanidae in general. He then pointed out that most of the Lucanissi and Dorcini, unlike the Odontolabini, differed comparatively little except in size, whereas the latter subfamily must be regarded as polymorphic. The variability and plasticity of many Odontolabini was so great, that it was practically impossible to separate them into sharply distinct species. The chitinous portions of the male sexual organ were valueless as specific characters in this group. In the second, or systematic part of his paper, Dr. Leuthner monographed the three genera Neolucanus, Thorns., Heterochthes, Westw., and Odontolabis, Hope, which form the subfamily Odontolabini, giving full synonymy, and carefully describing the female and the various forms of the male in each species. This memoir will be published entire in the Society's ' Transactions.' The following papers were read :- 1. On the Tongues of the Marsupialia. By E D W A R D B. POULTON, M.A., F.Z.S. [Received December 18, 1883.] (Plates LIV., LV.) I am greatly indebted to the kindness of our Secretary for supplying me from the Society's collection with a great part of the materials upon which this paper is written. I have received from him spirit specimens of the tongues of Macropus, Belideus, and Didelphys, and fresh specimens of those of Petrogale and Dasyurus. Professor Moseley also very kindly gave me excellently prepared tongues of Halmaturus, Phalangista, and Perameles, and a spirit specimen of Acrobates. These specimens were obtained in 1874, and are described in the ' Notes by a Naturalist on the Challenger.' I was also fortunate enough to procure a living specimen of Phalangista vulpina. In a previous paper ("The Tongue of Perameles nasuta ") in the 'Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science' for January 1883, I described a new type of compound filiform papilla, which I then thought to be peculiar to that animal and modified for the capture of insects. I now find that it is characteristic of the Marsupial tongue, and I propose for it the name " coronate papilla." During my work upon this organ I find it absolutely necessary to use new terms in addition to the old ones (which I retain as far as possible), as these latter do not cover the ground. I therefore add a provisional list of the technical terms used in such descriptions as are contained in the present paper. New terms are printed in italics. Circumvallate papillae.-Used in its old sense for the large bulb-bearing papillae (or in some cases ridges) at the back of the upper |
