350 TROPICAL WILD LIFE IN BRITISH GUIANA 



In the lialf-fledged nestling of the Guiana spinetail 

 (Synallcuvis giiiancnsis), the hand is (j[iiite appreciahly long- 

 er than in the adult, while the other sections follow the same 

 course as in the two preceding hirds. 



Among other birds of the same order there is another 

 method of development in the wing, the difference being that 

 the forearm lengthens and decreases instead of the hand as 

 previously mentioned. In the half -grown fledgling of both 

 the kiskadee {Pitaugus sulpJiuratus) and the silver-beaked 

 tanager {Ramp/iocelus carho) the forearm is decidedly larg- 

 er than in the adult, 



Pitangus sulph u rat us ( Linn. ) 



Arm Forearm Hand 



Newly hatched 30.1 mm. 33.4 mm. 27.8 nmi. 



14 day nestling 28.4 " 36.2 " 26.6 " 



Adult* 29. " 33.5 " 29. 



Here again is a case where a sudden increase of one 

 segment is accompanied by the decrease of another, though 

 this time there is diminution of both the hand and arm. 

 The total decrease of the two, however, equals the amount 

 of extra length in the forearm. 



The wing development of the grey-breasted martin 

 (Progne chahjhca) is slightly different from either of the 

 two preceding methods of growth. This is due to its ad- 

 vanced powers of flight, which necessitates a rather length- 

 ened hand, though both the forearm and hand are propor- 

 tionally smaller in the younger stages than in the adult. 



Progne clialyhca (Gmel.) 



Arm JForearm Hand 



3 day nestling 26.5 mm. 29.1 mm. 25.4 mm. 



7 " " 24.1 " 27.7 " 29.2 " 



14 " " 20.9 " 28.4 " 31.9 " 



Fully fledged 19.2 " 30.5 " 31. 



Adult 20. " 29. " 32. 



