When laid open, it
is 11/2 inches long, and the same in breadth. In the female it contained
a concreted substance, the size of a very small nut, one in each pouch:
this, when examined through the microscope, was found to be made up of
very small portions of broken crystals.
Besides these grinding teeth, there are two small pointed horny teeth
upon the projecting part of the posterior portion of the tongue, the
points of which are directed forwards, seemingly to prevent the food from
being pushed into the fauces during the process of mastication; which
circumstance Mr. Home thinks peculiar to this animal: in the tongue of
the flamingo there is a row of short teeth on each side, but not in any
other bird that he has seen.
The fore legs are short, and the feet webbed. On each foot there are five
toes, united by the web, which is very broad, and is continued beyond the
points of the toes nearly an inch. On each toe there is a rounded
straight nail, which lies loose upon the membrane forming the web.
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