DEVELOPMENT OF WING 



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FIG. 117. DIAGRAM OF WING DEVELOPMENT OF THE AMERICAN CATBIRD 



creases and then decreases, being in the adult practically the 

 same as it was in the young chick. As in the case of the 

 toucan the total increase and decrease in the development 

 about offset each other. 



The increase of the hand in the first few days may be 

 less the shadow of an ancestral character than a prepara- 

 tion for the growth of primaries, which, at this date, are of 

 great size. The bird has so long been reared in a state of 

 helplessness that there appear to be but few traces of an 

 elongated hand in the late embryo. The forearm and hand, 

 on the contrary, show traces of an early weakening and 

 shortening. 



Cassicus cela (Linn.) 



2 day nestling 



3 



7 " 

 Adult .. 



Arm 

 35.5 mm. 

 34.5 " 

 34.3 " 

 33.8 " 



Forearm 

 41.5 mm. 

 43. " 

 41.8 " 

 44. 



Hand 

 37.3 mm, 

 36.5 " 

 37.7 " 

 36. 



The development of the yellow-backed cacique prac- 

 tically parallels that of the catbird, though the variations are 

 not so large. It is a noticeable feature that in the three-day 

 nestling, where there is a slight decrease in the hand, it is ac- 

 companied by a corresponding increase of the forearm. 



