6 INTRODUCTION. 



Pointed wings may be divided into two sorts. 

 In tlie firsts tlie outermost quill is either the longest, 

 or nearly' equal to the next one or two; but the 

 secondaries and tertiaries are of the ordinary length ; 

 that is, they are two-thirds as long as the primaries. 



In the second description of pointed wing the 

 first quill is little more than half the length of those 

 which are longest, which are generally the fourth or 

 fifth. 



Emarginated wings are characterized Iw having a 

 sudden notch, or sinuosity more or less abrupt, on 

 the margin of the inner shaft of the longest quills ; 



- — ^.W-^y. ////^ 



EMARGIIfATEB WINGS. 



h. Sparrow-hawk. 



this notch, in some cases (True Falcons), is situated 

 near the end of the shaft; in others (the ignoble 

 Hawks) it is placed near the base (Fig. 5). 



Rounded wings are always short, and there is so 

 little difi'erence between the last six or seven prima- 

 ries and the secondaries, that the distinction.between 

 the two series is scarcely perceptible. The tertiaries 

 also are nearly of the same dimensions, so that when 

 the wing is fully expanded, the contour forms a 

 semicircle. 



Easorial wings are characterized by their peculiar 

 shape, and by the great development of the se- 

 condary quills ; these latter being so long as nearly 

 to equal the primaries. The primary quills in their 

 substance have an unusual strength and rigidity ; 

 their shape is almost falcate, and they are very 

 narrow; their curved shape gives to the mug a 

 great degree of convexity, and also indicates much 

 strength. - 



