14 



Birds of North Carolina 



would, by its browai color, fall iiiulcr the first division of "1," which would refer us 

 to "2," where the rough edge of the outermost wing quill would put it in the first 

 section and tell us it Ijelonged to Stelgidopteryx. 



Following the ilescription of each species, the range or territory over which it 

 occurs is given in all cases. Usually, how-ever, reference is made only to the terri- 

 tory it occupies in eastern North America, for wo should hear in mind that some 

 birils are as common perhaps in Eurojx' or Asia as in America. For our jiurposes, 

 however, it has not been thought necessary to go into an exhaustive enumeration 

 of all the fiircign countries in which each particular North Carolina species is found. 



Measurements. — In the ilescription of the birds given in this volume the word 

 "length" (L.) refers to the distance from the tip of the bill to the tip of tail. "Length 

 of wing" (W.) has reference to the ilistance from the last bend of the wing to the 

 tip of the longest wing-feather. The meaning of the other measurements will be 

 apparent to the student. 



EXPLANATION OF I LLUSTRATKJN. 



Upppr mandible 6. Nape 



(of bill) 

 Lower mandible 

 Forehead 

 Crown 

 Oeciput 



7. Lore 



8. Siiperorbitus 



9. .\uricular feathers 



(ear) 



10. Chin 



11. Throat 



12. Lower throat 



(juguluni) 



13. Side of neck 



14. Bend of wing; 



lesser coverts 

 1.5. Median coverts 



16. Bastard wing 

 (alula) 



17. Greater coverts 



18. Primary coverts 



19. .Scapulars 



20. Secondary wing 

 quills 



21. Primary wing- 

 quitls (remiges) 



22. Back 



23. Rump 



24. Upper tail-coverts 



25. Tail-quills 

 (retrices) 



26. Breast 



27. .\bdomon (belly) 



28. Leg (tibia and fibula) 



29. Vent (anal region) 



TOPOGRAPIIV OF A BiKD. 



30. Under tail-coverts 



31. Tarsus (shank) 



32. Inner (lid) toe 



33. Middle (Hid) toe 



34. Outer (IVth) toe 



35. Hind (1st) toe 



KEY TO THE ORDERS 



1. Swimmers. Feet palmate (full-webbed), or lobate; in the latter case with the 



claws broad, flat, and nail-like. See 2. 

 1. Feet not palmate (except in a few waders with very long leg.s), and never with 



the claws broad, flat, or nail-like. See 6. 



