EDITORS INTRODUCTION. 



21 



than the preceding, the extent of their sweep is more limited, and their stroke much feebler ; they are, 

 consequently, as their name indicates, of secondary importance in locomotion. 



The Spurious, or Bastard Quills (Figs. 2, e; 13, M ), are attached to the rudimental bone that 

 represents the thumb (Figs. 2, g; 12, p) ; their size is diminutive, and their use in flight compara- 

 tively unimportant. 



The Wing Covers or Coverts (Fig. 13, S7 ) are small feathers arranged in several rows, which 

 overlap and strengthen the bases of the quills ; they are often variously coloured, and thus afford 

 important features whereby different species may be distinguished. Besides the above, there are 

 certain conventional terms employed by the ornithologist that will require enumeration. The arm-part 

 of the wing in the living bird is generally known as the shoulder (') ; the elbow-joint is the jlexum ; 

 while that part of the fore-arm which corresponds to the edge of the wing is denominated the 

 shoulder-margin (°). 



The names appropriated to the different parts of the hinder-limb have been already sufficiently 

 indicated when describing the composition of the skeleton. 



There are many birds which have stripes of variously coloured 

 feathers situated above, before, and behind the eye ; while others 

 sometimes occur at the base of the lower mandible. To all these 

 distinct names have been appropriated. A superciliary stripe is 

 situated above the eye, occupying a position analogous to that of 

 the human eyebrow. An ordinary eye-stripe is either anterior, 

 posterior, or entire. It is called anterior when it only occupies 

 the space between the eye and the bill ; posterior when it com- 

 mences behind the eye, and advances towards or unites with 

 the ear-feathers ; and entire when it is both posterior and an- 

 terior. A 7naxillary stripe commences at the base of the under 

 mandible, and descends on the sides of the neck. 



Such is the by no means very long list of names of parts used 

 by the ornithologist in his description, and which in the course of 



, , .„ ., , - - Fig. 14.— CHICKEN IN THE EGG, 



the present volume will necessarily be of very frequent occurrence. NE . VRLY arrived at maturity 



The oil with which birds preen their feathers, and the glands showing the little Hammer or "Em-scale'' on 

 that supply it, constitute a remarkable provision peculiar to the 

 feathered creation. Embedded among the feathers at the root of 

 the tail, there is on each side a small nipple, yielding upon pressure a butter-like substance, which the 

 bird extracts by squeezing the orifice with its bill. By means of the oil, or radier ointment, thus 

 procured, it dresses its feathers, either for the purpose of increasing their brilliancy, or, as in the case 

 of the swimming birds, to make them impenetrable to wet. 



The pairing of birds is a feature in their history which draws a broad line of distinction between 

 the feathered tribes and the generality of quadrupeds. Among mammiferous quadrupeds the young 

 derive their nutriment during the earlier period of their existence entirely from the maternal breast, 

 the male parent contributing nothing towards its support ; but in the winged races the callow brood 

 derive their supply of food from the industry of both parents, whose united exertions are not more 

 than is requisite to procure the needful supply. In this circumstance we may see a reason for the 

 faithful love of the feathered mate as contrasted with the vagrant disposition of the quadruped. The 

 parental fondness of birds towards their young has escaped no observer ; no historian of nature is 

 silent upon this subject. " How well they caress diem," says Derham, " with their affectionate notes, 

 lull and quiet them with their voice, put food into their mouths, cherish and keep them warm, teach 



owing 



the end of its beak, wherewith it is enabled 

 to break through the egg-shell. 



