120 On the Nomenclature Sfc. of a BiriVs Anatomy. 



the usual practice — at any rate, not in England, where the 

 wing is not measured pressed down on to the rule, but lying 

 on it, with its natural curvature, thus giving a short 

 measurement. — G. H. G.] 



3. The Length of Tail (L. of T.) is the measurement from 

 the root of the tail-feathers to the end of the longest feather. 

 The measurement must be taken by placing the rule under- 

 neath the tail, with one end of the rule against the place 

 where the under tail-coverts start and where also can be 

 easily felt the roots of the tail-feathers proper. 



4. The Length of Tarsus (T.) is the measurement taken 

 from the notch in the posterior part of the joint between the 

 leg and the lower thigh to the notch between the upper ridge 

 of the middle toe and the lower edoje of the lowest scale of 

 the front part of the leg : should be taken with a pair of 

 compasses. 



5. The Length of the Middle Toe (Mt.) is the measure- 

 ment from the notch on the anterior ridge of the lowest 

 scale between the leg and the root of the middle toe to the 

 point of the claw on the middle toe — the toe being stretched 

 out. 



5 a. The Length of the Middle Claw is the measurement 

 taken from the upper anterior edge of the last scale on the 

 toe to the point of the nail on the claw. 



6. 71ie Length of the Bill is the measurement taken in a 

 straight line from the point of the root of the upper ridge of 

 the bill where the forehead-feathers begin to the point of 

 the upper mandible. One point of the compass must be 

 placed where the horny substance of the bill and the fore- 

 head-feathers meet, and it is sometimes necessary to move 

 the feathers to one side. In Birds which have a cere at the 

 root of the bill, the measurement is a straight line taken 

 from the upper anterior part of the cere to the point of the 

 upper mandible. 



