INTRODUCTION. 



THE WINQ. 



As an aid to identificatioo, the wing characters are most important. The terms 

 primaries, secondaries, axillars, wing coverts, etc., are constantly used in 

 describing birds, and the student should learn to recognize them at a glance. 

 The Remiges are the flight 

 feathers of the wing, 

 and tlie Tectrices are 

 the small feathers cov- 

 ering the npijer part of 

 the wing or shoulder 

 (see illustration), and 

 are usually called cov- 

 erts. The Remiges 

 are divided into pri- 

 maries, secondaries, 

 and tertials, accord- 

 ing to the location in 

 the wing. 

 The Primaries are the 

 feathers growing from 

 the outer section of the 



wing ; that is to say, from the outer bend of the wing (carpus) to tip, C to D, the 

 number ranging from 9 to 10 (and rarely 11) in various families. At first, it is 



not always easy to distinguish the last 

 primar}' from the first secondarj' ; but 

 experience is the best teacher, and the 

 point can always be settled by exam- 

 ining the roots of the feathers. 

 The Secondaries are the remiges at- 

 tached to. the ulna or forearm, B to C 

 (see illustration) ; they number from 

 G to 40 in the various families ; the 

 Humming-bird having the smallest 

 mimber, and the Albatross m ore 

 than 40. 



The Tertials are the few remaining remiges which grow from the JiKmenis, A to B. 

 The Tectrices, or Wing Coverts, are small feathers covering tlie larger wing 

 feathers ; the feathers lining the edge of the under surface of the wing are called 

 under wing coverts. The outer wing coverts are divided and described as 

 greater wing coverts, middle wing coverts, and lesser wing coverts, 

 respectively. (See illustration.) 



