18 TOPOGKAPHY OF THE BODY. 



neck" {nucha ; tig. 4, '), adjoining the hind head ; these are otherwise known 

 as the cervical rerjion, and the nuchal region, respectivel3S and both together 

 as "the neck heliind." The front of the neck has been, perhaps, unnecessa- 

 rily subdivided, and the diyisions vary with ahriost every writer. It Avill be 

 sufficient for us in the present connection to call it throat (Lat. (jula, fig. 

 4, 37), and jar/uhmi (fig. 4, si), remembering that the jugular portion is 

 lower, vanishing in breast, and the gular higher, running into chin along the 

 under surflice of the head. GuUur is a term used to signify gula and 

 jugulum together; it is simply equivalent to "throat" as just defined. 

 Though generally fully covered with feathers, the neck, unlike the body 

 proper, is frequently in part naked. When naked behind, it is almost in- 

 variably ce/'Hia; that is bare, from interruption of the upward extension of the 

 pteryla dorsulis ; as exemplified in many herons. JVucJia is rarely, if ever, 

 naked except in continuation of general nakedness of the head. Similarly, 

 gula is naked from above downwards, as is especially illustrated in nearly 

 all the order Steganopodes, as pelicans, cormorants, etc., that have a naked 

 throat-pouch ; or some vultures, whose nakedness of head extends over 

 nucha, and along gula, as if the feathers were killed by over-manuring with 

 the filthy substances these birds eat. The condor has a singular ruffle all 

 around the neck, of close, doiony feathers, as if to defend the roots of the 

 other feathers from such consequence. Jngulum becomes naked in a few 

 birds, where a distended crop or craw protrudes, pushing apart the feathers 

 of two branches of the pteryla ventralis as these ascend the throat. The 

 neck is not ordinarily the place of remarksibly modified feathers; they might 

 restrict freedom of motion in the neck; to this rule, however, there are 

 signal exceptions. Among these may be mentioned here, the grouse family, 

 among our representatives of which, the "ruffed" has singular tufts on the 

 sides of the neck; the "pinnated" little wing-like feathers there, covering 

 bare, distensible skin, and the "cock of the plains" has curious, stilf, scaly 

 feathers; unless these rather belong to pectus. Cervix proper almost never 

 has modified feathers, but often a transverse coloration different from that of 

 the rest of the upper parts ; when conspicuous, this is called "cervical collar," 

 to distinguish it from the guttural or jugular "collars" or rings of color. 

 Nucha is frequently similarly marked with a "nuchal band ;" often, special 

 developments there take the form of lengthening of the feathers, and we 

 have a "nuchal crest." More particularly in birds of largely variegated 

 colors, guttur and jugulum are marked lengtliwine with stripes and streaks, 

 of which those on the sides are apt to be different from those along the 

 middle line in front. Jugulum occasionally has lengthened feathers, as in 

 many herons. Higher up, the neck in front may have variously length- 

 ened or otherwise modified feathers. Conspicuous among these are the 

 ruffa, or tippets, of some birds, especially of the grebe family, and, above 

 all our other birds, of the male ruff {Machefefi pugnax) . But these, and a 

 few other modifications of the feathers of tiiie upper neck, are more con- 

 veniently considered with those of the 



