APPENDIX. 419 



Nidiflca'tion. Nest-building; mode of nesting. 



No'menclature. The names of things, according to a recognized principle of nam- 

 ing, or those peculiar to any department of science. Various systems of 

 nomenclature have been employed in the naming of animals and plants. 

 Previous to the institution of the binomial system by Linnaeus (first pro- 

 mulgated as to zoology in 1758;, the polynomial, system, or the use ol several 

 terms as to the name of a species, was much in vogue. That now employed 

 is the binomial system of Linnteus, in which usualty only two terms are 

 used, the one generic, the other specific, but occasionally modified, accord- 

 ing to the requirements of modern science, by the use of a third term after the 

 specific one, for the designation of nascent species, or "subspecies." 



Nor'mal. Usual ; regular. 



Nos'tril. The external opening of the organs of respiration. 



Nu'cha. The nape ; upper part of cervix, next to occiput. 



Nu'chal. Pertaining to the nape. 



Nup'tial plu'mage. A particular plumage, peculiar to the breeding season, char- 

 acteristic of some birds. 



O. 



Oblique'. Indirect ; crossing, or running diagonally. 



Ob'long Longer than broad. 



Obscure'. Dark ; not evident ; faintly marked ; little known. 



Obtuse'. Blunt. Opposed to acute. 



Occip'ital. Pertaining to the hind-head or occiput 



Oc'ciput. The hind-head. 



Ochra'ceous. "| 



Och'reous. I A brownish orange color, or intense buff. 



Och'rey. 



Olfac'tory. Pertaining to the sense of smell. 



ra'ceous. | A greenish . brown color> like that O f olives. 



Omniv'orous. Feeding upon anything eatable ; eating indiscriminately. 



Oolog'ical. Pertaining to oology. 



Ool'ogy. The science of birds' eggs. 



Opaque'. In descriptive ornithology, the opposite of metallic, or brilliant, dull or 

 without gloss. 



O'ral. Pertaining to the mouth. 



Or bit. Eye-socket 



Or'bital Ring. A ring or circle of color immediately surrounding the eye. 



Or' dor. In classification a group between family and class. 



Oriiithol'ogy. The science of birds. 



Os ciniiie. Pertaining to the Oscines ; musical or capable of singing. 



Os'cines. The name of a natural group of singing passerine birds, comprising the 

 singing-birds par excellence, characterized by a highly specalized vocal appa- 

 ratus. 



Out er Web. The outer web of a feather is that farthest from the central line of the 

 body ; in wing-feathers it is that farthest from the base of the wing, or toward 

 the outer edge of the wing. 



O'yal. j 



1 e ' } Egg-shaped ; in a general sense oblong and curvilinear. 

 O void. 



Ovoid al. ) 



Ova'rium. > The an m which e s are developed. 



O'vary. S 



Ovip'aroua Producing eggs which are developed after exclusion from the body. 



Oviposi'tioii. Act of laying eggs. 



