484 A CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS OUR KNOWLEDGE OF 



Pt. colli. This divides about half-way down the neck into a pt. colli dorsalis 

 and ventralis. The former soon jjasses into the 



Pt. spinalis. This tract is separable into two regions, an upper and a lower. 

 The upper, which represents a backward continuation of the pt. colli dorsalis, terminates 

 in a slightly bifurcated free end. The feathers of this region are much longer and 

 stronger than those of the remainder of the ti-act. 



The lower moiety of the tract is of great width, and composed of long, rather 

 loose feathers. In the caudal region it becomes suddenly constricted and terminates 

 at the base of the uropygium. 



Pt. caiidae. There are 12 rectrices. In the nestlings these are wanting. 



Pt. colli ventralis. This does not appear, as a distinct tract, till about the 

 middle region of the neck, where it forms a pair of lateral bands ; these pass 

 downwards on either side into the 



Pt. ventralis. This may be divided into a pair of antei'ior and external, and 

 jjosterior and internal tracts. The anterior are derived from a backward e.xtension, 

 and widening of the pt. colli ventralis. Each terminates near the posterior end of 

 the breast-bone. The posterior portion of the tract may be traced from the cloacal 

 aperture forwards as a narrow^ band of feathers running on either side of the middle 

 line, to within a short distance of the level of the clavicle. 



Pt. ani. The bulk of the feathers of this small tract lie caudad of the cloacal 

 aperture. 



Pt. femoralis. This is not a sharj^ly defined tract, but merges above into the 

 pt. spinalis and below into the pt. cruralis. The feathers along its inferior border 

 are much larger and stronger than those of the rest of the tract. 



Pt. cruralis. This tract completely invests the leg, nearly as far downwards as 

 the tibio-tarsal joint. 



Pt. humercdis. This tract is very sharjjh" defined, except anteriorly, where it 

 passes forwards to join the pt. ventralis. 



Pt. alaris : — Metacarpo-digitals 10. Cubitals 1.5. Diastataxial '. 



The first cubital is shorter than the second but not markedly so, as in the 

 Galli, e.g. G. bankiva The carpal remex, which should probably be regarded as the 

 real first cubital (4) is vestigial, plumaceous in character, and much smaller than its 

 covert. 



Tectrices : — 



T. viajores (dorsal). Those of the primaries are fairly large and strong ; of the 

 secondaries the chief point to be noticed is their relative length : unfortunately this 

 cannot be very certainly made out in the only adult available for examination, 



' This term is synonymous with aquiutocubital. 



