The Feeding System of the Pigeon (Columba livia L.)

ISBN-13: 9783540113324 / Angielski / Miękka / 1982 / 108 str.

Gart A. Zweers

Opis

Anthropocentricity and pragmatism seem to be the main reasons why pigeons have served as the "black boxes" of so many psychologists and neurobehaviorists during the past decade. Anthropocentricity, because at first glance pigeons show several strik- ing features which bear a beautiful similarity to human systems in respects such as drinking, bipedality, territoriality, and apparently easy pursual of individual interests. Pragmatism, because of the suspected lesser complexity of the pigeon's system, which enables them to serve as good paradigms for human systems. For example, the visually guided grasping system of the beak could be used as a model for the visually guided grasping system of the tips of the thumb and forefinger in humans (personal communi- cation, Zeigler). Other pragmatic reasons are the low cost of breeding these birds, their easy adaptation to experimental conditions, and their obvious capacity for learning and remembering. Although a closer and more critical examination largely undermines the anthropomorphic arguments, this has not diminished interest in the pigeon. In many studies on sensorimotor and motivational processes of hunger, thirst, and learning, pecking and drinking behavior serve as the systems on which the outcome of different black box systems is measured. Clear examples of this application are found in McFarland (1964, 1965), Dawkins (1966), Dawkins and Dawkins (1973), Goodman and Schein (1974), Machliss (1977), and Zeigler, Levitt, and Levine (1980).

Spis treści

General Introduction.- 1 The Lingual Apparatus.- 1.1 Introduction.- 1.2 Methods and Materials.- 1.3 Surface Structures and Orifices of Glands in Mouth and Pharynx.- 1.3.1 Terminology.- 1.3.2 Description.- 1.3.3 Comparison of Nomenclatures.- 1.4 Sustaining Structures and Joints: Osteology and Arthrology.- 1.4.1 Terminology.- 1.4.2 Description.- 1.4.2.1 Paraglossal.- 1.4.2.2 Basihyal.- 1.4.2.3 Urohyal.- 1.4.2.4 Ceratobranchial.- 1.4.2.5 Epibranchial.- 1.4.2.6 Pharyngobranchial.- 1.4.2.7 Joint Between Paraglossal and Basihyal.- 1.4.2.8 Joints Between Basihyal, Ceratobranchials, and Urohyal.- 1.4.2.9 Joint Between Ceratobranchial and Epibranchial.- 1.4.2.10 “Joint” Between Cricoid and Urohyal plus Ceratobranchials.- 1.4.3 Comparison of Nomenclatures.- 1.5 Myology.- 1.5.1 Terminology.- 1.5.2 Description.- 1.5.2.1 External Hyoid Muscles.- 1.5.2.2 Extrinsic Hyoid Muscles.- 1.5.2.3 Intrinsic Hyoid Muscles.- 1.5.3 Comparison of Nomenclatures.- 2 The Mouth and Pharynx.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 Methods and Materials.- 2.3 Terminology.- 2.4 Description.- 2.4.1 Mouth.- 2.4.2 Pharynx.- 2.5 Circulatory System.- 3 Mechanisms of the Feeding System.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Pecking of Seeds.- 3.2.1 Feeding Adaptations.- 3.2.2 Slide-and-Glue Mechanism for Pecking.- 3.3 Drinking of Water.- 3.3.1 Drinking Adaptations.- 3.3.2 Double-Suction Mechanism for Drinking.- 3.4 Operation of the Larynx.- 3.4.1 Laryngeal Construction.- 3.4.2 Drill-Chuck Mechanism for Laryngeal Operation.- 3.5 Explanation of some Elements of the Feeding System.- 3.5.1 Glands from Mechanics.- 3.5.2 Stereotypy of the Feeding System.- General Summary.- Abbreviations.- References.