GLOSSARY 



675 



Mimesis, 

 Mimicry, 



Migration, n. Periodical change of 

 abode, influeuced cliietly by seasonal 

 changes in climate, in which case the 

 migration is regularly periodical, the 

 vernal or spring migration being, in 

 the northern hemisphere, northward, 

 the autumnal migration southward, 

 but vice versa in the southern hemi- 

 sphere. The migrations of many 

 birds, howevei-, ai-e irregular or er- 

 ratic, being prompted by the neces- 

 sity of finding the requisite food 

 supply. The Passenger Pigeon, 

 American Pvobin, Cedarbird, etc., are 

 migratory In this sense; while the 

 Tanagers, Orioles and others, wliich 

 pass the summer only in northern lati- 

 tudes and the winter entirely within 

 the tropics, are periodical migrants. 

 Mimetic, a. Imitative; pertaining to or 

 given to mimicry. 



' 11. Mockery or imitation of 

 voice, shape, color, etc. 

 The term protective mim- 

 icry is applied to animals 

 which imitate in color or 

 shape objects by which 

 they are surrounded or 

 species with which they 

 are associated. 

 Mirror, n. A name occasionally given 

 to the speculum or metallic wing spots 

 of Ducks, etc. 

 MoLLipiT.osE, a. Softly downy. 

 Monogamous, a. Mating with a single 

 individual of the opposite sex. Ap- 

 plied to species which pair. Those 

 in which the male assists in incuba- 

 tion and rearing the young are doubly 

 monogamous. 

 Monogamy, n. The state of pairing, or 



having a single companion. 

 MoNOMORPHic, a. Of essentially the 

 same or similar tyjje of structure. 

 (Opposite of polymorphic. ) 

 MoNOTOKOUS, a. Laying a single egg, 

 as the Petrels, Auks, etc, ( Same as 

 uniparous.) 



Morphological, a. Pertaining to 

 morphology. 



Morphology, n. The science which 

 treats of the laws of form, or the prin- 

 ciples of structure. Morphology is 

 the basis of homology, while analogy 

 is based upon teleology. 



Mustache, n. In descriptive ornithol- 

 ogy, any conspicuous stripe on the 

 side of the head beneatli tlie eye. 



MucRoxATE, a. Siiiiie tipped, as the 



rectrices of the ('liimney Swift (C7i<p- 



tiij'a pelagica). 

 MucRONULATE, a. Tipped with small 



points. 

 MuLTiPAHous, a. Producing many 



eggs. 



Mural, a. Pertaining to a wall. 

 MuRiCATE, (a. Clothed with sharp- 

 MuRicATED, 1 points, or prickles. 

 Myhmothehine, rt. Applied to birds 

 which feed upon aiils. 



N. 



Nape, n. The upper portion of the hind- 

 neck, or cervix. 



Naris, n. The nostril. The external 

 nares open upon some part of the 

 maxilla or upper mandible. In some 

 birds (as the Pelicans, Cormorants, 

 and other Steganopodes, and the Tou- 

 cans), they are basal and more or 

 less obsolete; in others (as the Wood- 

 peckers and members of the Crow 

 family), they are concealed by the 

 antrorse frontal tufts of feathers. 

 The internal nares open as longitud- 

 inal slits in the posterior portion of 

 the palate. 



Nasal Operculum, n. The scale or 

 hardened membrane overhanging the 

 nostril in some birds. 



Nascent, a. Beginning to grow or exist, 

 or in process of development, A nas- 

 cent species is one which is yet con- 

 nected with the ancestral stock by 

 individuals of intermediate character. 

 Well-known examples may be cited, 

 in the Colaptes auratus and G. mexi- 

 canus, which possess very uniform 

 and pronounced characteristics of 

 color, etc., but are connected by speci- 

 mens of intermediate characters, 

 formerly supposed to be hybrids, but 

 which are now with good reason be- 

 lieved to be merely representatives of 

 the ancestral stock, and tending more 

 or less toward one or the other of the 

 extremes of ditferentiation repre- 

 sented by the above named nascent 

 species. 



Natation, n. Act of swimming. 



Natatores, 72.. Swimming birds, as 

 Geese, Ducks, Gulls, etc. 



Natatorial, a. Capable of swimming; 

 pertaining to the act of swimming, or 

 to swimming birds. 



Navicular, a. Boat shaped. 



