Observations on the Cubital Coverts of the Huornithes. 171 
XV. Supplementary Observations on the Cubital Coverts of the 
Euornithes. By J. G. GooDcHILD, Esq., H.M. Geol. Survey, 
F.G.S., F.Z.S., Member of the British Ornithologists 
Union. 
(Read 21st December 1892. ) 
Shortly after the publication of my last communication to 
the Royal Physical Society,! dealing with the cubital coverts 
of birds in their relation to classification, Sir William Flower 
honoured me with a request for a set of wings to illustrate 
the chief points therein referred to, in order that they might 
be exhibited in the Index Collection at the Natural History 
Museum, South Kensington. This commission would not 
have been easy to execute, had not several fellow-workers in 
zoology interested themselves to obtain specimens in the 
flesh of the various birds whose wings were required for this 
purpose. Through their friendly co-operation I have thus 
been enabled to examine anew many species about whose 
wing style more or less uncertainty was felt, and have, 
further, had an opportunity for the first time of studying the 
wing style prevailing amongst several other birds, which I 
had not previously handled in the fresh state. In addition. 
to the facts gathered in this manner, I have re-examined, 
and carefully drawn, the appearances presented by a large 
number of species in the living state, chiefly at the Zoological 
Gardens of London; and have, further, dissected the wings of 
a number of interesting forms of birds, which I have been 
enabled to do chiefly through the kind offices of Mr Beddard, 
the Prosector to the Zoological Society. 
This re-survey of the subject has resulted in bringing to 
light several additional facts of interest; and, as might have 
been expected from the nature of the investigations, has led 
me to modify a few of the statements previously put forth by 
myself and other students of the subject. In the present 
communication it is proposed to summarise the facts so far 
as they are yet known. 
In my original paper on the subject of Birds Wings,” the 
' Proc. Roy. Phys. Soc., vol. x., pp. 317-333. 
2 Proc. Zool. Soc,, April 1886, 
