XXX 



Mr. Wray's section through the wing of a bird as well as 

 my own (fig. 6). Having found by means of microscopical 

 sections, as already pointed out, that the dorsal iiiajor coverts 

 of the metacarpo-digital are situated distally to their respec- 

 tive remiges, as is also shown by numerous instances of 

 moulting, it will be seen that a modification in the relation of 

 the median coverts of the 11th remex, viz. the remicle, i? the 

 natural consequence. 



Some investigators of this subject (as in the case of Pro- 

 fessor Elliott Coues) seem to have been greatly puzzled by 

 the presence of what they believed to be two major coverts 

 belonging to the last or 11th remex. 



The relation of the major coverts to their remiges having 

 been cleared up, as shown in my own section through the wing, 

 which rectifies that of Mr. Wray, it will be, comparatively 

 speaking, easy to see that such an error could simply accrue 

 from the assumed position of the major coverts. The as- 

 sumed and accessory major covert is uothing else than the 

 true and only covert of the remicle, placed distally, in the 

 same way as ail the other major coverts. 



In some measure, aquintocubitalism and quintocubitalisra 

 seem to reflect on the presence or the absence of the 11th 

 metacarpo-digital flight -feather. So stable have I found this 

 singulai' occurrence, at least in all the specimens hitherto 

 examined, that I invariably designate a bird as aquinto- 

 cubital if the 11th remex is present, and vice versd^. 



From the complication that arose regarding the supposed 



* [According to Dr. Gadow the following are exceptions, ina.smuc!i as, 

 though aquiutocubital. they have only ten metacarpo-digitals ( = pri- 

 maries) : — 



Scopus. P-iittaci. 



Eurypiiga. Ci/pselus. 



Italluis. Capri imd (JUS. 



Ocydromv.s. Mcrjapodius. 



IIimanf.or)iU. 

 Cf. Broun's ' Klassen imd Orduuugen des Thier-Reichs,' iv. Abtheihmg. 

 Aves, Theil I. pp. .j'67-570 (1SS6)." 



]Many Cypselida) have eleven remicres. Eunjl'Tmus javaniciis. Acan- 

 thijUs crivxlacvfa, and Cei'^jh av-iericrnin are iustauces in which I have 

 f'.aind eleven reaiigos, though the wings are quintocabital. — A^'. P. P.] 



