744 



PTARMIGAN PTER YLOSIS 



PTARMIGAN, Gael. Tarmachan, see GROUSE (p. 392, note). 



PTEROCLETES, 1 Mr. Sclater's name (Ibis, 1880, p. 407) for 

 the Order composed of the SAND-GROUSE, equivalent to the 



PTEROCLOMORPILE of Prof. Huxley (Proc. Zool Soc. 1868, 

 p. 303), which itself was anticipated as a group by Bonaparte's 

 Pediophili in 1831 (Saggio &c. p. 54). 



PTERYGOIDS, a pair of bones in the roof of the mouth of every 

 bird, articulating with the QUADRATES and the anterior end of the 

 PALATALS, as well as, directly or indirectly, with the Basi-sphenoid 

 and other parts of the SKULL. 



PTERYLOSIS signifies plumage considered in regard to the 



distribution of its 

 growth. In only a 

 few Birds do the 

 FEATHERS grow over 

 the whole body, but 

 they are generally 

 restricted to well- 

 defined patches or 

 tracts, which in 1833 

 received from Nitzsch 

 (Pterylographise A mum 

 pars prior , p. 11) the 

 name oipteryla (n-rcpov, 

 pluma ; v\rj, sylva) or 

 " feather-forests," in 

 opposition to the ap- 

 teria, or featherless 

 spaces, which inter- 

 vene. Presumably 

 the first bird-like crea- 

 tures had their skin 

 uniformly clothed ; 

 but the Ratitse, Sphen- 

 isci and Palamedea are 

 almost the only exist- 

 ing forms having the 

 " Contour - feathers " 

 (p. 241) evenly dis- 

 posed over the body. 

 It would be, however, 

 1 It is no more easy to find a plural for the word Pterodes than for Patrocles, 

 Themistocles or many others, but we may be quite sure that it would not take 

 this form. Sundevall many years ago (K. Vet.- Ac. Handl. 1836, p. 119) had 

 Pteroctides, which is perhaps possible. 



BOTATTRUS STELLARIS. Ventral and dorsal aspect. 



The dark patches shew the "Powder-downs." 



(After Nitzsch.) 



