*X GLOSSARY OF TERMS 



Orbital. — Of or belonging to the orbit, the bony cavity containing the eye 

 and its external mechanism. 



Pal-5:arctic region. — The name given to one of the six great regions into 

 which Sclater demonstrated that the world could be divided for the 

 purpose of considering and classifying the geographical distribution 

 of its famia. It comprises Europe, Asia to the Indus, the Himalayas 

 and Yang-tse-Kiang, Africa about to middle of the Sahara, and the 

 Atlantic Islands. 



Palmate. — Spread out like the palm of the hand. 



Papilla. — A small conical eminence. 



Pectinate. — Furnished with teeth like a comb. 



Plantar. — Of or belonging to the sole of the foot. 



Powder-downs. — The down which clothes certahi tracts in various groups 

 of birds, sometimes on the featherless spaces and sometimes amongst 

 the contour feathers. The barrel as it grows splits into numerous 

 brush like barbs and barbules, instead of forming a central shaft, and 

 these continuously disintegrate into a white powder which permeates 

 the plumage. They are found amongst British birds in the Hei"ons 

 and Harriers. 



Proximal. — A part nearer to the centre or central line of the body as opposed 

 to one more reinote (Distal). 



Pterylosis. — The consideration of plumage with regard to the distribution 

 of its growth. 



PuLLUS. — A chick. The naked or down-covered young of birds. (See 

 Nestling). 



Radii. — ^The lateral branches of the rami, which in turn bear cilia or booklets 

 by means of which adjacent rami of a feather are held together. 



Rami. — The lateral branches from the shaft of a feather which in mass 



compose the inner and outer webs. 

 Rectrices. — The large quill feathers of the tail. (See fig., p. *xvi. ) 



Remiges. — The principal feathers of the wing (flight feathers). Consist 

 of two series, the primaries attached to the bones of the hand, and 

 the secondaries, attached to the ulna (inner bone of forearm). (See 

 fig., p. *XVL) 



Reticulation.- — Used to denote the plates covering the tarsus and toes in 

 certain birds ; they ai'e of various shapes but are most often six-sided 

 and sinall, not arranged in definite rows and do not overlap (cf. Scute). 



Rhachis. — ^The opaque part of the main central shaft of a feather (cf. 



Calamus). 

 RiCTAL. — Of or belonging to the gape. 

 ScANSORiAL. — Of or belonging to the Scansores, the first Order in Illiger's 



(1811) classification. As here used refers to birds capable of climbing. 

 Scute. — Literally a shield, used to denote the scales covering the tarsus 



and toes ; they are usually comparatively large and overlap each 



other {cf. Reticulation). 

 Scutellate. — Covered with Scutes. 

 Shaft. — The central horny portion of a feather, consisting of the Calamus 



and Rhachis. 

 SiNUATED. — Cut or sloped in a wavy manner. 

 Speculum. — A name used for any patch of feathers on the wing differing 



markedly in colour from those near them — especially applied to the 



metallic patch on the wing-feathers of the freshwater ducks. 

 Square. — Applied to the distal extremity of a feather or group of feathers 



when that extremity forms roughly a right angle with either of the 



lateral Vjorders (cf. Lanceol.^te, Cuneate, Graduated). 



