1901.] IPTERYLOSIS OF THE GIANT HUMMING-BIKD. 319 



On the ventral side of the wing (c/. text-fig. 77) the inferior 

 major coverts are only present in correspondence with the ten 

 primaries and the four first or outermost secondaries. Thus the 

 whole series stops short precisely \^'here the median coverts stopped 

 short on the dorsal side of the wing. 



The median coverts of the ventral side are present in number 

 corresponding to all the remiges except the outermost, and are 

 further continued downwards and forwards on the under 

 surface of the wing towards the pectoral tract, to the number 

 of four or five more, much in the same way as the dorsal major 

 coverts were extended inwards to the humeral tract, and con- 

 stitutiug the so-called axillaries or hypopteron (text-fig. 77, ^lyp.). 



Between these two proximal extensions, that namely of the 

 dorsal major coverts running to the humeral tract and that of the 

 ventral median coverts running downwards towards the pectoral, 

 we have a more conspicuous and more numerous row of about 

 eight feathers running along the posterior border of the axilla and 

 right down to the pectoral tract. They deserve the name axillaries 

 more strictly than the former row, but for the purposes of this 

 paper we may speak of them as the second row of axillaries 

 (text-fig. 77, ax".). It is impossible to say whether this row is in 

 serial continuation of either the remiges or the ventral major 

 coverts (that is to say, with either of the series lying between 

 those with which the two other extensions are continuous), and 

 as a matter of fact it seems to be separated by a gap from both of 

 them. 



This last series, together with the one above it, corresponds 

 to the pampUron and pennse humerales of Nitzsch, while the 

 extension of the ventral coverts corresponds to the hypopteron or 

 axillaries of Nitzsch and Wray. Bat, whereas the axillaries are 

 commonly described as being extensions of the ventral minor 

 coverts, they are here, at least, clearly an extension of the median 

 coverts, and the pennse humerales are as clearly an extension 

 of the dorsal major coverts. 



Between the median and the marginal coverts there is present 

 on the ventral side a row of six or seven small minor coverts, 

 which run, pointing strongly distalwards, from the level of the 

 third primary towards the end of the wing. 



The marginals themselves form several transverse rows of small 

 closely-set feathers, having as usual no numerical relation lon- 

 gitudinally with the remiges or the other tectrlces already 

 described. 



The marginal feathers encroach but a little way on the patagium, 

 which is bare save for three or four rows of feathers on its 

 anterior border. 



There is a well-marked humeral tract nearly over the head 

 of the humerus and extending backwards thence to the axilla. 

 Anteriorly it unites with the marginals, and so comes into close 

 relation, over the clavicle, with the forward continuation of the 

 pectoral tract. It comes very near to the dorsal tract poste- 

 riorly, though it is difficult to say that it is connected with it ; 



