Glossary of Technical Terms 



Abdomen. The belly. 



Auriculars. Feathers covering the ear. 



Axillaries. Rather elongated feathers growing from near the juncture of the 

 wing and the body, seen only when the wing is raised. 



Cere. The naked skin surrounding the nostrils in Hawks, Pigeons, etc. 



Crissum. The lower tail-coverts. 



Coverts. Small feathers covering the upper and middle part of the wing and 

 upper and under part of the tail. 



Culmen. The ridge or keel of the upper mandible. 



Ear-coverts. Fine feathers overlying the ear opening. 



Ear-tufts. Erectile tufts of feathers on each side of the forehead as in the 

 owls. They have nothing to do with the ears. 



Gape. The opening of the mouth. 



Gonys. The keel of the lower mandible from the tip to where it branches. 



T nter scapulars. Feathers of the back ; between the shoulders. 



Lore. The space between the eye and the bill. 



Malar region. Side of the lower jaw behind the bill. 



Mantle. Back, scapulars and wings of Gulls and some other birds in which 

 this area is peculiarly colored. 



Mandible. The jaw. 



Nape. Upper portion of the hind neck. 



Nasal. Pertaining to the nostrils. 



Nuchal. Pertaining to the nape. 



Occipital. Pertaining to the back part of the head. 



Primaries. The quill feathers that grow from the hand or outer section of 

 the wing, usually nine or ten in number. 



Primary coverts. Smaller stiff feathers immediately overlying the base of the 

 primaries. 



Rectrix. One of the long tail feathers of a bird. 



Remex. A primary or secondary of the bird's wing. 



Rictal. Pertaining to the corner of the mouth or gape. 



Rump. That part of the lower back immediately above the upper tail-coverts. 



Scapular region. A longitudinal band of feathers on each side of the back. 



Secondaries. The long stiff quill feathers growing from the forearm or second 

 section of the wing. 



Speculum. The bright-colored patch on a duck's wing. 



Superciliary. Above the eye. 



Tarsus. The (usually bare horny) part of the bird's leg between the toes 

 and the heel joint. Really part of the foot rather than the leg. 



Tertials. The three innermost secondaries which are usually graduated and 

 differently colored from the others. 



Vermiculated. Marked with irregular fine lines. 



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