374 GLOSSARY. 



Polt/g-cimous—M-dtrng with more than one female. 



Pnecoces — Birds able to run about and feed themselves at birth. 



Prcecocial — Having the nature of Prcecoces. 



PretnaxiUcu'ies — Same as intermaxillaries. 



Premolars — The small grinders; the teeth between the canines 



and the true molars. 

 Preopercle — The membrane bone lying in front of the opercle and 



more or less nearly parallel with it; the "false gill covers." 

 Primary — Any one of the ten (often nine, rarely eleven) of the 



large, stiff quills growing upon the pinion or hand-bone of a 



bird, as distinguished from the secondaries, which grow upon 



the fore arm. 

 Primary Wing Coverts — The coverts overlying the bases of the 



primaries. 

 Projectile — Capable of being thrust forward. 

 Protractile — Capable of being thrust forward. 



Pulmonary — Pertaining to the lungs. 



Punctate — Dotted with points. 



Pyloric c(xca — Glandular appendages in the form of blind sacs 

 opening into the alimeutar}^ canal of many fishes at the 

 'pylorus or passage from the stomach to the intestine. 



Quadrate— '^enrlj square. 



Quadrilocular— Four-chambered— said of the heart. 



Quill— One of the stiff feathers of the wing or tail of a bird. 



■ ^- ^ 

 Quincunx— Set of five arranged alternately, thus * 



Radius — Outer bone of fore arm. 



Hay— One of the cartilaginous rods which support the membrane 



of the fin of a fish. 

 Rectrices—(^\\\\\iA of the tail of a bird. 

 Recurved— Curved upward. 

 Remige8—(^\\\\\>i of the wing of a bird. 

 Reticulate— l^li\r\^ed^ni\\ a network of lines. 

 RetractileSn^ee\\\\h\e of being drawn inward, as a cat's claw. 

 Retrorse —Directed backward. 

 Jiictal — Pertaining to the rictus, as 7'ictal bristles. 

 Rictus— Gape of the mouth. 

 7?rv6'^m^— Pertaining to tlie snout, as rostral plate. 

 Rudimentary— Undeveloped. 



