04(3 



BR. P. CHALMERS MITCHELL OX THE 



The rectrices are 12 in number as compared with from 8 to 12 

 in Herons, and 12 in Scopihs and Storks. 



The primary quills of the wing are 11, not 10 as Giebel states. 

 Of these six are on the metacarpal, three on phalanx 1 of digit 

 II and two on phalanx 2 of digit II, the last being much smaller 

 than the others. There are 11 in Herons, 10 in Scopus and 11 or 

 1.2 in Storks. There are 19 secondaries as compared with 11 to 

 18 in Herons and 14 to 25 in Storks. 



Text-ficr. 119. 



Wing-strncture of Salee7iiceps. 



DiagTam of the distal secondary quills and coverts, showing the diastataxic condition. 

 Right wing; external view. The quills are in outline, the major coverts are 

 shaded ; the transverse rows are represented by dots, showing the insertion. 



S. First Secondai'y. 

 .r. Diastataxic gap. 

 C.C. Carpal covert. 



C.R. Carpal rem ex. 

 P. First Primary. 



In the figure (text-fig. 119) I give a diagram of the distal 

 secondaries, showing the arrangement known as " aquintocubital " 

 until W. P. Pycraft and I showed simultaneously (28, 36) that it 

 was not due to the loss of a secondary feather, after which my term 

 " diastataxic " has been used. The major coverts are inserted 

 proximally to the quills and cross over them, and this arrange- 

 ment is repeated in the case of the degenerate carpal covert and 

 carpal remex, whereas the major coverts of the primary quills 

 are distally placed. The diastataxic gap is very evident and the 

 major covert, which occupies the gap, is tied down to the 

 membrane supporting the quills by a special slip. In the same 

 fashion the carpal remex has a membranous slip supporting it. 



