1916] Chandler: Structure of Feathers 355 
Limicolae) distribution of down, and the presence of an aftershaft, 
usually well-developed, but in a few cases very small. As was done 
by Gadow (1891), the Limicolae are regarded as the center of the 
entire charadriiform group, since in the structure of their feathers 
as well as in other regards, they are neither the least nor the most 
specialized. It is for this reason that a limicoline bird was selected 
for special description. 
a) Numenus americanus 
(1) Remex 
Calamus and basal portion of shaft rather slender, much deeper 
than wide, the calamus relatively long, the shaft if anything deeper 
than wide for most of length, with narrow ventral groove and dis- 
tinct striations on side at junction of barbs. Rami relatively deep, 
the ventral ridge moderately developed, with a smooth ventral edge 
in both inner and outer vanes. Distal and proximal vanules with 
30 and 20 barbules per millimeter respectively. 
Inner vane—Distal barbules with relatively broad base (0.28 
by 0.056 mm.), subnuclear area especially broad and filmlike, its 
ventral contour line conspiculously curving in proximal to ventral 
teeth (pl. 28, fig. 57a). Ventral teeth remarkably small and in- 
conspicuous, both short and narrow. Pennulum slightly longer 
than base; hooklets 5 or 6 in number, short, moderately slender, 
the distal ones not conspicuously longer than proximal ones, the 
hooklet cells not being short and crowded; ventral cilia developed 
on whole length of pennulum, proximal 2 or 38 short, the more 
distal ones longer, but appressed to barbule for part of their length 
(see figure); two proximal dorsal barbules stout, spiny, best de- 
seribed as earlike; more distal ones decreasing in size, and rather 
rudimentary. Proximal barbules (pl. 28, fig. 57b) with very slender 
base, about 0.5 by 0.04 mm., ventral teeth short, blunt and in- 
conspicuous; pennulum much shorter than base, moderately stout 
proximally, tapering to fine point. 
Outer vane—Distal barbules with bases considerably longer and 
more slender, about 0.82 by 0.04 mm., the subnuclear area being 
the part especially reduced (pl. 28, fig. 57c). Ventral teeth some- 
what longer but even more slender than on inner vane. MHooklets 
5 or 6, longer than on inner vane, almost all of equal length. 
Series of ventral cilia complete, these barbicels of moderate length, 
slightly curved, and subequal. Dorsal cilia absent except near tip 
where a few short rudimentary ones are developed. Proximal bar- 
bules for over three-fourths of length of barb similar to those of 
inner vane, but on terminal part of barb ventral teeth proliferat- 
ing and developing into straight, unhooked ventral cilia (pl. 28, 
fig. 57d). 
(2) Other Feathers 
Back feathers—Structure of distal barbules (pl. 28, fig. 57e) 
much like that of those of outer vane of remiges, but base of some- 
