12 



THE FEATHERED TRIBES. 



basis for a series of stiff clastic feathers eontinuous witli those proceeding from the idna. 

 Ou the anterior edge, and at the base of the metucarpns, is seated the thumb bone, a single 

 jointed piece (f). The fingers (g) are two ; the first consists of two phalaixjcs, a broad 

 basal bone, as if several were compacted into one, and a small pointed bone. The second 

 finger consists merely of a small portion in close contact with the iirst ]>/iahiiu of the first 



p» 



FIG. 10. — WING or X BIRD. 



finger. The hand, thus formftl, has no such power as we ascribe to that organ ; it is a 

 firm, inflexible support for a scries of stiff elastic feathers continuous with thos? proceed- 

 ing from the u/iui. 



The feathers arisuig from the hand and ulna are termed quill-feathers. They are 

 didded into two sots. One set arises from the hand, consisting of the most important of 



FIG. 11.— ACUTE WI.VO OF A FALCON 



FIG. 12.— OBTUSK WING OF A BUZZARD. 



the series, and chiefly instrumental, by their length and shape, their flexibility or stiflhess, 

 in determining the eharacler or j)owei- of tlie fliglif. These are the primari/ iiiiill-thithcrs 

 (fig. 9, No. 1) ; they are ten in number, but diti'er in finin as well as in relative length. 

 The other .set arise ox iusively from the uliui, and are tlie siroii'/uri/ qiii/f-fhif/it'i:^ (No. 2) ; 

 they are usually short r, broader, and less rigid than the former, and their number varies. 



