Chap. XIV. Birds — Gradation of Characters, 4.57 



the same row. The larger basal spots occupy exactly the same 

 relative position on these feathers, as do the perfect ocelli on 

 the longer wing-feathers. 



By looking to the next two or three succeeding wing-feathers, 

 an absolutely insensible gradation can be traced from one of the 

 last-described basal spots, together with the next higher one in 

 the same row, to a curious ornament, which cannot be called an 

 ocellus, and which I will name, from the want of a better term, 

 an " elliptic ornament." These are shewn in the accompanying 

 figure (tig. 69). We here see several oblique rows, A, B, C, D,, 



— c 



Fig. 59. Portion of one of the secondary wing-feathers near to the body, shewing the 

 so-called elliptic ornaments. The right-hand figure is given merely as a diagram 

 for the sake of the letters of reference. 



A, \\ C, I), &c. Eows of spots running 

 down to and forming the elliptic 

 ornaments. 



b. Lowest spot or mark in row B. 



C. The next succeeding spot or mark in 



the same row. 

 d. Apparently a broken prolongation of 



the spot c in the same row B 



&c. (see the lettered diagram on the right hand), of dark spots 

 of the usual character. Each row of spots runs down to and is 

 connected with one of the elliptic ornaments, in exactly the 

 same manner as each stripe in fig. 57 runs down to, and is 

 connected with, one of the ball-and-socket ocelli. Looking to 

 any one row, for instance, B, in fig. 59, the lowest mark (b) is 

 thicker and considerably longer than the upper spots, and has 

 its left extremity pointed and curved upwards. This black mark 



