12 GLOSSARY 



GLOSSARY 



A careful reading of the Glossary, and frequent reference to it, will 

 greatly facilitate an understanding of the terms and expressions used 



throughout this work. 



ADULT. Of breeding age, usually with fully mature plumage. 



ALBINO. Affected with albinism; an abornmal condition in which 

 white feathers replace those not normally white; caused by a de- 

 ficiency of pigment in the plumage. 



ALGAE. A group of plants including seaweed. 



ANATIDAE. The family of Swans, Geese and Ducks. 



ANATINAE. The subfamily of Surface-feeding, or River and Pond 

 Ducks. 



ANSERINAE. The subfamily of Geese. 



ANUS. The vent. 



A.O.U. CHECK-LIST. The check-list of North American Birds, pre- 

 pared by a committee of the American Ornithologists' Union. 



AQUATIC. Pertaining to or living in water. 



ARBOREAL. Pertaining to or living in trees. 



AURICULAR. The region of the ear. 



AXILLARS. A fan-shaped group of feathers, usually elongated, under 

 the wing, growing from the axilla or "armpit," and closing the 

 space between the last flight-feathers and the body when in flight 

 (fig. 20). 



BACK. The area on the upper surface of the body included between the 



neck, rump, and wings (fig. 16). 

 BARS. Narrow transverse marks across the body or across a feather, 



and not parallel with the shafts of the feathers. ("Stripes" run 



lengthwise.) 



BASE OF BILL. That part of the upper mandible nearest the head. 

 BEND OF WING. The second joint, or "elbow" of the wing (fig. 21). 

 BREAST. An area on the under surface of the body between the chest 



or upper breast, and the belly or abdomen (fig. 16). 



CERE. The soft, swollen area at the base of the upper mandible, present 



in some species. 

 CHEEK. The area on the side of the head, below the eye, above the chin 



and throat, extending from the forehead to include the ear region. 



This area may be divided into lores, cheek, and ear region (fig. 16). 

 CHEST. The upper breast; the area between the base of foreneck and 



the breast (fig. 16). 

 CHIN. The area on the under side of the head at the base of the lower 



mandible (fig. 16). 

 CLAW. The nail at the terminal joint of any toe. 



