18 INTRODUCTION. 



upper mandible at its base, and in which are the nostrils, 

 though often concealed by feathers. 



The principal wing-feathers are the primaries, which (with 

 possible exceptions) are always nine or ten, except in flight- 

 less birds, and which form the end or " point " of the wing. 

 They are the long outer feathers, of which the shafts (if the 

 wing be spread) are more or less parallel, forming an evi- 

 dent angle with those of the adjoining secondaries. A so- 

 called " spurious '* primary is usually the first or outermost, 

 when very much shorter than the rest. (It differs from the 

 " bastard wing " or " spurious quills " in being a single feather 

 and beneath the second primary.) The "shoulder" of the 

 wing is the " bend " near its connection with the body. The 

 tail is even or square, rounded or forked, as viewed when 

 half-closed ; if slightly forked, emarginate, if very deeply 

 forked, forficate. A cuneate tail is the exact opposite to one 

 forficate. 



The tarsus, often called the " leg," extends from the base of 

 the toes to the first joint above, and in a majority of birds is 

 unfeathered. If without scales in front (unless near the bot- 

 tom), it is " booted," or if with scales, scutellate. (If covered 

 with very small scales which do not overlap one another, it is 

 reticulate ; or it may be granulated, as in the Fish-hawk.) 



The following is a vocabulary of several other descriptive 

 terms. Auricular s (or ear-patch), the feathers behind, but a 

 little below the level of the eye. Circumocular, about the eye. 

 Crown, top of the head (usually above the eye). Eye-patch, 

 a tract of color inclosing the eye. Eye-stripe, a line running 

 through the eye (so to speak). Inter scapulars, feathers on the 

 back between the wing-shoulders, or between the head and 

 rump. Iris (pi. irides), a colored circle inclosing the pupil 

 of the eye. Lore, the feathers about the base of the bill, or 

 between the bill and the eye.* Maxillary line, one running 

 backward from the gape, and bordering the throat. Median 

 line, one dividing the crown. Nape (or nuchal patch), the 

 hind-head (properly above the cervix, or hind-neck). Super- 



* A more precise definition would be " the space between the eye and the 

 base of the upper mandible." W. B. 



