Berrier on Birds at Fort Hamilton, L. I. II 



The only other parts, of any constancy, in the limbs besides the 

 bones and muscles are the nerves. And here again we find facts 

 that point towards the existence of the thumb. In man and some 

 mammals the I. II and radial side of the III fingers are supplied by 

 the radial nerve while the ulnal supplies "the rest. This also is 

 the case in birds, a small branch from the ulnal running clown the 

 posterior face of the pinion to the III finger. 



Thus, since the arguments drawn from the Archceopteiyx must 

 be discarded, none remain to prove the non-existence of the 

 thumb. On the other hand, all the facts of myology point to its 

 existence, while the nerves, though not so constant, point the 

 samj way. Analogy to the foot also points this way, there being 

 two joints in the thumb and three in the index, the same number 

 that are the rule in the foot for the first and second toes. Also 

 where there are two and three joints respectively in the finger 

 there are often claws on the end, thus pointing to unugual pha- 

 langes. 



So it seems safe to sav that the structural evidence of the 

 forearm and hand points to the existence of the I, II, III, and IV 

 finders in the class of birds. 



NOTES ON A FEW BIRDS OBSERVED AT FORT 

 HAMILTON, LONG ISLAND, N. Y. 



BY DE L. BERRIER. 



About the 20th of September, 1877, great numbers of the Red- 

 headed Woodpecker {Mclancrpes erythrocephalus) , made their 

 appearance about Fort Hamilton. They outnumbered the " High- 

 holes," usually so common at that time of the year, and attracted 

 the attention of the local gunners. Up to this time I had looked 

 upon the Red-head as a scarce bird with us, having seen it only a 

 few times before. As long ago as 1844. Giraud noticed that this 

 bird had become much less abundant in the Eastern States than 

 formerly. Dr. Coues, in " Birds of the North West," says it is 

 now rare in New England. The conclusion is that either the bird is 

 becoming extirpated in these regions, or else it is taking the advice 



