i68 GENERAL ORNITHOLOGY part ii 



cases, scapular feathers (Fig. 30, 5g>) are called tertiaries, especially 

 when long or otherwise conspicuous. But there is an evident and 

 proper distinction. Scapulars belong to the pteryla hmneralis (see 

 p. 130) ; while tertiaries, whether seated on the elbow or higher up 

 the arm, are the innermost remiges of the pteryla alaris. These 

 inner remiges are often shortly called tcrtials ; though the longer 

 name is more correct, besides being conformable with the names of 

 the other two series of remiges. Tertiaries often afford good char- 

 acters for description, in peculiarities of their size, shape, or colour. 

 Thus it is very common among Fringillidm for these feathers to be 

 parti-coloured differently from the other remiges. In many birds 

 they ai'e long and flowing ; as in the families Motaeillidce and Almi- 

 dido', where they reach about to the end of the primaries when the 

 wing is closed. Their development is similar in many Scolopacidm. 

 In such cases, the feather-border of the wing pronounces the letter 

 W quite strongly — outer lower angle at point of primaries ; middle 

 upper angle at reentrance between primaries and secondaries ; inner 

 lower angle at point of tertiaries. 



The "point of the wing" is at tlie tip of the longest primary. 

 It is best expressed when the first primary is longest. Sometimes 

 the end is so much rounded off, that the midmost primary may be 

 the longest one, the others being graduated on both sides of this 

 projecting point. In speaking of the relative lengths of remiges, 

 we always mean the way in which their tips fall together, not the 

 actual total lengths of the feathers. Thus a second primary, whose 

 tip falls opposite the tip of the first one, is said to be of equal length, 

 though it may actually be longer, being seated higher up on the 

 pinion. The development of the primaries also furnishes one of the 

 most important measurements of birds : for the expression " length 

 of wing," or simply " the wing," means the distance from the " bend 

 of the wing," or carpal angle, to the end of the longest primary. 

 The integument of the wing does not verj^ often develop anything 

 but feathers. Occasionally 



Claws and Spurs are found upon the pinion. Claws have been 

 already noticed (p. 160). They are properly so called, being horn}^ 

 growths comparable in every way to those upon the ends of the 

 toes, like the claws of beasts, or human nails. A spur (Lat. calcar), 

 however, is something different, though of the same horny texture, 

 since it does not terminate a digital phalanx, but is off-set from the 

 side of the hand. It is exactly like the spur on the leg of a fowl, 

 which obviously is not a claw. The spur-winged goose (Pledroptencs), 

 pigeon (Bidunndus), plovers (Chettusia, etc.), the Ja^anas (Parra), 

 and the doubly-spurred screamer (Palamedea), afford examples of 

 such outgrowths. (See Fig. 53 ter.) 



