RICE-BIRD— RIFLEMAN-BIRD 789 



3 or 4 in Columhidx, 4 or 5 in Fasseres and most Picarix, 4 to 7 in 

 Steganopodes and 4 to 9 in Anseres ; (4) Lumbar Eibs, following the 

 Thoracic, and often consisting only of a short dorsal piece "^^hich is 

 thus frequently fused with the overlapping part of the Ilium. The 

 number of Ribs varies (not so much as a whole, but according to 

 the regions to which they belong) among closely-allied species as 

 well as among individuals of the same species. Usually an 

 increased number of cervical or lumbar " false " Ribs means a 

 reduced number of " true " or thoracic Ribs, and vice versd. Speak- 

 ing generally, a greater number of Ribs, and especially of thoracic 

 Ribs, indicates a lower and therefore phylogenetically older condition, 

 a feature which is found in the Bird not only in its embryonic but 

 even during its adolescent stage. From a taxonomic point of view 

 Ribs are valueless. 



RICE -BIRD, one of the many names of the Bobolink (p. 46), 

 and perhaps locally applied in the East Indies to others not at all 

 allied (cf. Paddy-bird, p. 683). 



RICHEL-BIRD (etymology^ and spelling doubtful) said to be 

 a local name of the Lesser Tern. 



RIFLEMAN - BIRD, or RIFLE -BIRD, names given by the 

 English in Australia to a very beautiful inhabitant of that country,^ 

 probably because in coloration it resembled the well-known uniform 

 of the rifle -regiments of the British army, while in its long and 

 projecting hypochondriac plumes and short tail a further likeness 

 might be traced to the hanging pelisse and the jacket formerly 

 worn by the members of those corps. Be that as it may, the cock 

 bird is clothed in velvety-black generally glossed with rich purple, 

 but having each feather of the abdomen broadly tipped with a 

 chevron of green bronze, while the crown of the head is covered 

 with scale -like feathers of glittering green, and on the throat 

 gleams a triangular patch of brilliant bluish emerald, a colour that 

 reappears on the whole upper surface of the middle pair of tail- 

 quills. The hen is greyish-brown above, the crown striated with 

 dull white ; the chin, throat and a streak behind the eye are pale 

 ochreous, and the lower parts deep buff, each feather bearing a 

 black chevron. According to James Wilson (III. Zool. pi. xi.), 



1 "Rekels" {Cathol. Ancjl. p. 302), "Richelle" or "Rychelle"' {Prompt. Parvul. 

 pp. 66, 433), derived from reke or reek (smoke), is an old word for incense, but 

 no connexion with the bird's name is apparent. 



^ Its English name seems to be iirst printed in 1825 by Barron Field 

 {Geog. Mem. N. S. Wales, p. 503). In 1828 Lesson and Garnot said {Voy. 

 de la Coqidlle, Zool. p. 669) that it was applied "pour rappeler que ce fut 

 im soldat de la garnison [of New South Wales] qui le tua le premier," — which 

 seems to be an insufficient reason, though the statement as, to the bird's first 

 murderer may be true. The Rifleman of New Zealand is Aca\thidositta chloris. 



'/ 



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