GLOSSARY 



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riilific iiaiHi-s of III,- (inl,-rs.siihord,-rs. anil j'aiiiilu-s of birds, consiill the Index.) 



Abdominal. Relating to the abdomen or helly. 



Abnormal. Irregular; not conforming to tlie type. 



Acuminate. Terminating in a long tapering point. 



Acute. Sharp-pointed. 



Adult. Of breeding age, usually witli fully mature 

 plumage. 



Aerial. Inliabiting the air ; performed in the air. 



Air-sac. Any one of the spaces, in different parts of 

 the bodies of birds, which are filled with air and con- 

 nected with the air passages of the lungs. 



Albinism. .\n abnormal condition of plumage, in 

 wliich white replaces tlie ordinary colors. 



Albino. Affected witli albinism. 



Algae. Seaweed. 



Alpine. Pertaining to high altitudes, chiefly near 

 timber line. 



Altricial. Young are helidess. 



Amphipod. Of or belonging to the -\mphipoda. a 

 suborder of crustaceans including the sand fleas and 

 allied forms. 



Anal region. The feathered region immediately sur- 

 rounding the anus or vent. 



Annulated. Surrounded by rings of color. 



Anterior, b'nrward: in front of. 



Anus. The vent. 



Apex. Tip iir point. 



Apical. Relating to the tip or point. 



Aquatic. Pertaining to or living in tlie water. 



Arboreal, rv-rtamin.g to or living in trees. 



Attenuate, attenuated. Growing gradually nariower 

 toward the ti]), but not sharply pointed. 



Auriculars. Ear-coverts ; ear region. 



Avi-fauna. The bird-life of a given region. 



Axillaries, axillars. The elongated feathers grow- 

 ing from the axilla or armpit. 



Bar. A transverse mark. 



Basal. Relating to or situated at the base. The basal 

 part of a feather is that part where it enters the skin : 

 the basal part of the bill is that part nearest the head, 

 and not the lower mandible. 



Belt. A broad band of color across the breast or 

 Iielly. 



Bevy. A flock, as of Quails. 



Bicolor. Of two colors. 



Boreal. Xorthern ; used by scientists to designate a 

 division of the earth comprised of its northern and 

 mountainous parts. 



Bristle. A small hairlike feather near the angle of 

 the mouth, or rictus. 



Bronchi. One of the subdivisions of the wiiulpipe. 



Calcareous. Chalky ; limy. 



Cambium. In certain shrubs and trees the riii.g of 

 tissue which separates the wood from the bark. 



Carnivorous, flesh-eating; feeding or preying on 

 other animals. 



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Carpal. Pertaining to the carpus or wrist. 



Carpal joint. The bend of the wing. 



Caudal. Relating to the tail 



Cere. A soft swollen area at the base of the upper 

 |iart of the bill. 



Cervical. Pertaining to the cervi.x or hind neck. 



Cinereous. Ash-colored; of a clear bluish-gray. 



Clavicle. The collar bone. 



Clutch. A complement of eggs; a brood of chicks. 



Coalesce. To unite ; to grow together. 



Collar. A ring of colored feathers encircling tlie 

 neck. 



Commissure. The line formed In the closed man- 

 dibles of a bird's hill. 



Complement. The full number, as of the eggs of a 

 liird : clutch. 



Compressed. Flattened from side to side; the oppo- 

 site of depressed. 



Concentric. Having a common center, as rings lU' 

 circles one within another. 



Concolor. Of the same color as (some other ob- 

 ject) ; of uniform color. 



Confluent. Running into or blending in a complete 

 wdiole ; — said of colors in plumage. 



Coniferous. Bearing cones, as the cypress and pine. 



Conoid, conoidal. Resembling or approachin,g a cone 

 in shape. 



Contour feathers. The connnon feathers that form 

 the general covering of a bird, determining its shape. 



Corrugate, corrugated. Furrowed ; wrinkled. 



Cosmopolitan. \ot restricted to any locality; found 

 in all countries ; world-wide. 



Covert. Any one of the special feathers covering 

 the bases of the quills of the wings and tail of a bird. 

 They are called upper tail-coverts, lower tail-coverts, 

 greater coverts, lesser wing-coverts, etc., accordin,g to 

 location. 



Covey. An old bird with her brood ; a small flock ; 

 — used chiefly of Grouse and Partridges. 



Crepuscular. Active at twilight. 



Crescentic. Crescent-shaped. 



Crest. A tuft of feathers on the top of the head. 



Crested. Furnished with a crest. 



Crown. The top part of the head. 



Crustacea. .A large class of water-breathing animals, 

 including the water fleas, barnacles, shrimps, etc. 



Crustacean. One of the Crustacea. 



Cuneate. Wedge-shaped. 



Curculio. Any snout beetle. 



Cygnet. A young Swan. 



Cylindrical. .Shaped somewdiat like a cylinder, as the 

 bills of the Mergansers. 



Deciduous. Shed at certain periods or seasons. 



Decurved. Bent downward, as the bill in certain 

 birds. Compare recurved. 



