Vol 'i9L8 XV ] Clark, Pterylosis of the Wild Pigeon. 419 



series of the femoral tract are composed of relatively large closely 

 placed feathers and there are two or three widely separated series 

 of three or four feathers each on the tibia, but one would never 

 suspect the existence at any time of a " pelvic" wing so conspicuous 

 in the young bird. The oil-gland itself is well developed, has the 

 surface free from feathers, and lacks entirely a terminal tuft of 

 small feathers. 



Ventrally the apteria are more marked than on the upper side, 

 yet the covering of contour feathers is very extensive. The two 

 halves of the lower cervical tract are still separated by an apterium 

 4 mm. wide, as in the young bird, but contour feathers are now 

 present on the chin and upper throat, so that they are united at 

 their upper ends. The pterylosis of the neck in Ectopistes is thus 

 very different from that shown for Columba, in Nitzsch's figure, 

 for there are no lateral cervical apteria in Ectopistes and there is 

 no lower cervical apterium in Columba. The sternal tracts in the 

 Wild Pigeon cover the sides of the breast clear to the wings, con- 

 necting with the humeral tract above and extending far out on the 

 humerus below; there is a small apterium on the side of the breast 

 just beneath the head of the humerus. Posteriorly the sternal 

 tracts run into the femorals on the side and extend upward to 

 merge into the dorsal tract. There is a little triangular apterium, 

 with sides about 8 mm. long, just anterior to the middle of the 

 femoral tract, but excepting this space and the one at the upper 

 end of the femur, the sides of the bird are entirely clothed in 

 contour feathers. The sternals pass without a break or even a 

 notch into the broad but short ventral tracts. These do not reach 

 the anus nor do they meet each other clearly in the midventral line. 

 Posterior to them is a rather large and distinct area, lacking contour 

 feathers, but the lower side of the pygidium is well feathered. The 

 ventral apterium is only 5 or 6 mm. wide over the crop, but be- 

 comes 20 mm. wide at the middle of the sternum and is 10 mm. wide 

 on the belly. 



The wing shows four well-developed feathers in the alula, ten 

 long primaries and fourteen visible secondaries, but the "fifth" 

 secondary is conspicuous by its absence! The relative length of 

 the primaries is 9, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. There are twelve 

 rectrices, their relative lengths being 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; i. e. the middle 





