GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS. 777 
APPENDIX 4. 
GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS. 
Used in the Keys and Descriptions. 
Many of the terms will be best understood by reference to the frontispiece, which shows 
the various parts of a bird and their names. ‘The definitions quoted from Ridgway are 
from his Nomenclature of Colors (1886). 
Abdomen. The belly. 
Acuminate. Tapering gradually to a point. 
Acute. Sharp-pointed. 
Adult. Of breeding age, usually with the fully mature plumage. 
Albinism. An abnormal condition of plumage, in which white replaces 
the ordinary colors. 
Albino. A bird or other animal affected with albinism. 
Albinistic. Affected with albinism. 
Anal region. The feathers immediately surrounding the anus or vent. 
Anterior. Forward; in front of. 
Apex, Apical. The tip or point. 
Aquatic. Living in, on or about water. 
Ash-color. A shade of gray, ash-gray, bluish-gray. 
Attenuate. Growing gradually narrower toward the tip, but not sharply 
pointed. 
Auriculars. The feathers which cover the ears in birds; the ear-coverts. 
Avi-fauna. The bird-life of a definite area. 
Axillaries, Axillars. The elongated feathers growing from the axilla 
or armpit. (Fig. 52.) 
Back. The dorsal region of the body, excluding neck and rump. It 
usually includes the scapulars and interscapulars, but should be restricted 
to the latter. 7 
Band. A transverse mark or bar with nearly parallel edges. (A broad 
band is usually called a zone.) 
Bar. A transverse mark. Narrower than a band, but wider than a line. 
Bay. A very rich dark reddish chestnut (Ridgway). 
Belly. The posterior ventral surface of the body, excluding the anal 
region. 
Belt. A broad band of color across the breast or belly. 
Belted. Marked with a broad band or belt. 
Bend of the Wing. The carpal or wrist joint; the anterior point in the 
folded wing. 
Boreal. Northern. 
Breast. In birds, that part of the ventral surface which lies between 
the root of the neck and the abdomen. ’ 
Bristle. A small hair-like feather, most often seen near the angle of 
the mouth, or rictus. 
Buff. A light brownish yellow, like ‘chamois skin.” 
Calcareous. Chalky; limy. 
Carmine. A very pure and intense crimson. The purest of the cochineal 
colors (Ridgway). 
