Pterylography of the Tinnmiformes, 18 



shaft in the nestliug-down-feathers of the domestic Turkey 

 and a small one in those of the Common Fowl. These I shall 

 describe hereafter, together with a few other facts of kindred 

 interest. 



Uropygial Gland. — The tuft on the gland is barely per- 

 ceptible. 



Rhamphotheca. — The tomia (cutting-edges) of the tip 

 of the beak-sheath of both upper and lower jaws are minutely 

 denticulated (PI. III. fig. 4), presenting the appearance to the 

 unaided eye (at least in the upper jaw) of a number of tiny, 

 white, closely-crowded teeth. The denticulation of the man- 

 dible is slighter and extends further back. 



The rhamphotheca appears to be compound, that of the 

 upper jaw consisting of a median and two lateral pieces, 

 which fuse distally. The sheath of the lower jaw is similarly 

 divided into a ventral median plate and two lateral plates. 

 The median plate extends from the gonys to the tip of the 

 jaw, where it fuses with the two lateral pieces. Along the 

 distal end of the inner surface of the mandible, in the median 

 line, run two closely approximated ridges, bearing in single 

 file a number of small papillae — the glandulse gulares(?). 

 Along the upper jaw in the corresponding region run three 

 such ridges side by side, the central one extending back to 

 the choanse. These are also provided with papillae*. 



The specimen ^^ taken from the egg^"" differed, from the 

 older bird only in that the oil-gland was less developed and 

 bore no trace of a tuft. The cere also was more tumid. 

 There was an egg- tooth ("Ei-zahn") on the tip of the upper 

 jaw. 



The Nestling 0/ Nothura maculosa. 

 The Nestling-down, — Sofar aslcan make out at present, 

 the "down" of this species diflFers from that of Calodromas 

 elegans only in that the radii of the distal end of the feather 

 were slightly less vigorously developed. 



* Whether the rhamphotheca is actually compound, and what 

 is the exact nature of the denticulations and papillae, are questions I 

 have reserved for further investigation. I have the less hesitation in post- 

 poning these matters since they are outside the province of pterylography. 



