1916] Chandler: Structure of Feathers 355 



Limicolae) distribution of down, and the presence of an aftershaft, 

 usually well-developed, but in a few cases very small. As was done 

 by Gadow (1891), the Limicolae are regarded as the center of the 

 entire charadriiform group, since in the structure of their feathers 

 as well as in other regards, they are neither the least nor the most 

 specialized. It is for this reason that a limicoline bird was selected 

 for special description. 



a) Numenius americanus 



(1) Remex 



Calamus and basal portion of shaft rather slender, much deeper 

 than wide, the calamus relatively long, the shaft if anything deeper 

 than wide for most of length, with narrow ventral groove and dis- 

 tinct striations on side at junction of barbs. Rami relatively deep, 

 the ventral ridge moderately developed, with a smooth ventral edge 

 in both inner and outer vanes. Distal and proximal vanules with 

 30 and 20 barbules per millimeter respectively. 



Inner vane. — Distal barhules with relatively broad base (0.28 

 by 0.056 mm.), subnuclear area especially broad and filmlike, its 

 ventral contour line conspiculously curving in proximal to ventral 

 teeth (pi. 28, fig. 57a). Ventral teeth remarkably small and in- 

 conspicuous, both short and narrow. Pennulum slightly longer 

 than base; booklets 5 or 6 in number, short, moderately slender, 

 the distal ones not conspicuously longer than proximal ones, the 

 booklet cells not being short and crowded; ventral cilia developed 

 on whole length of pennulum, proximal 2 or 3 short, the more 

 distal ones longer, but appressed to barbule for part of their length 

 (see figure) ; two proximal dorsal barbules stout, spiny, best de- 

 scribed as earlike; more distal ones decreasing in size, and rather 

 rudimentary. Proximal barbules (pi. 28, fig. 57b) with very slender 

 base, about 0.5 by 0.04 mm., ventral teeth short, blunt and in- 

 conspicuous; pennulum much shorter than base, moderately stout 

 proximally, tapering to fine point. 



Outer vane. — Distal barbules with bases considerably longer and 

 more slender, about 0.32 by 0.04 mm., the subnuclear area being 

 the part especially reduced (pi. 28, fig. 57c). Ventral teeth some- 

 what longer but even more slender than on inner vane. Hooklets 

 5 or 6, longer than on inner vane, almost all of equal length. 

 Series of ventral cilia complete, these barbicels of moderate length, 

 slightly curved, and subequal. Dorsal cilia absent except near tip 

 where a few short rudimentary ones are developed. Proximal bar- 

 bules for over three-fourths of length of barb similar to those of 

 inner vane, but on terminal part of barb ventral teeth proliferat- 

 ing and developing into straight, unhooked ventral cilia (pi. 28, 

 fig. 57d). 



(2) Other Feathers 



Back feathers. — Structure of distal barbules (pi. 28, fig. 57e) 

 much like that of those of outer vane of remiges, but base of some- 



