ORNITHOLOGY: GLOSSARY. 



119 



METACARPUS From the Greek, meta, 

 after, and karpos, the wrist. That 

 part of the hand which is between 

 the wrist and fingers. 



METATARSUS From the Greek, me/a, 

 after, and torsos, the instep. That 

 part of the foot which is between 

 the instep and toes. 



MIGRATION. The act of going" from 

 one country to dwell in another. 



MIGRATORY. Having the habit of go- 

 ing from onR country to sojourn in 

 another, du; ing a season. 



MILIARIA. Latin. A bird that feeds 

 upon millet. Specific name of the 

 common Bunting. 



MILVUS. Latin. A Kite. 



MINOR. Latin. Less, smaller. 



MOLUSSIMA. Latin. Softest. 



MOLLUSCA. From the Latin, mollis, 

 soft. A class of marine animals 

 without vertebrte, which have blood 

 vessels, a spinal marrow, and a sim- 

 ple body, without articulated limbs. 



MoLLUscous.-Belonging to Mollusca. 



MONEDULA. Latin. A Jackdaw. 



MONOGAMOUS. From the Greek, 

 monos, one, and gamos, marriage. 

 Those animals, the male and female 

 of which are paired for life, are said 

 to be monogamous. 



MONOGAMY. From the Greek, monos, 

 one, single ; and gamos, marriage. 

 The state or condition of being 

 married only to one person. 



MOTACILLA. Latin. A Wag-tail. 



MOUETTE. French. A Sea-mew, a 

 Gull. 



MOULT. To change the feathers. 



MOULTING. Changing of the plu- 

 mage, which occurs naturally and 

 periodically. 



MUSCICAPA. From the Latin, musca, 

 a rly,andcfl/?io,I seize. Fly-catcher. 



Musicus. Latin. Belonging or re- 

 lating to music. 



MUSTACHES. From the Greek, mus- 

 tax, the upper lip; the beard on 

 the upper lip. The beard that is 

 permitted to grow long on the 

 upper lip. The hairs which many 



animals have growing about the 

 mouth. 



MYOTHERA. From the Greek, mus, 

 a mouse, and thereto, I hunt, I 

 catch. The systematic name of 

 the Ant -Catchers. (The word 

 would be better, myrmothera, from 

 murmex, an ant, and therad.) 



NARES. Latin. The nostrils. 



NATATION. From the Latin, natatio, 

 swimming. The act of swimming, 

 or supporting one's self, or moving 

 upon the water. 



NECTAR. From the Greek, nektar, 

 which is formed from ne, a nega- 

 tive, and ktao, I kill, because nec- 

 tar imparted immortality. The 

 drink of the heathen gods. A cer- 

 tain product of flowers, which is 

 found in the corolla, but which docs 

 not belong to it. 



NICTITANS. Latin. Winking. The 

 membrana nictitans, is a sort oi 

 internal eyelid, found in many 

 mammals, and in all birds. 



NIDIFJCATION From the Latin nidus, 

 a nest, and facere, to make. The 

 act of building a nest. 



Nisus. Latin. A Sparrowhawk. 



NOCTUA. Latin. An Owl. 



NOCTURNE. Systematic name of 

 nocturnal birds of prey. 



NOSTRILS, (Linear) When they are 

 extended lengthwise in a fine with 

 the beak, as in Diver?, &c. 



NOSTRILS, (Pervious) When they 

 are open, and may be seen thiough 

 from side to side, as in Gulls, &c. 



NOV.E HOLLANDI/E. Latin. Of New 

 Holland. 



NUMIDA, ( Numidica. ) Latin. A 

 Guinea fowl. 



NUMENIUS. From the Greek, neos, 

 new, and menp, moon, on account 

 of their crescent shaped beak. 

 Generic name of the Curlews. 



OESOPHAGUS. From the Greek, oiso, 

 I curry, and phagein, to eat The 

 gullet. The membranous canal, 

 which conveys food from the mouth 

 to the stomach. 



