778 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 
Carpal. Pertaining to the wrist, or carpus. 
Carpal joint. The wrist-joint, or carpus; the “bend of the wing.” 
Caudal. Relating to the tail. 
Cere. The naked skin or membrane in which the nostrils are situated, 
found in most birds of prey. (Fig. 72.) 
Cervical. Pertaining to the cervix or hind neck. 
Cheek. A rather indefinite term applied to that part of the side of the 
head below eye and ear-coverts. 
Chest. The upper breast; a somewhat indefinite area, part breast, 
part neck. 
Chestnut. A rich dark reddish brown, of a slightly purplish cast 
(Ridgway). 
Chin. The anterior point of the throat, often included between the 
branches of the lower jaw. 
Cinereous. Ash-gray; a clear bluish gray color, lighter than plumbeous 
(Ridgway). 
Cinnamon. The light reddish brown color of cinnamon bark. 
Claw. The horny nail in which a toe ends. 
Clay-color. A dull light brownish yellow color (Ridgway). 
Clove Brown. The color of cloves. 
Collar. A ring of color encircling the neck. (Fig. 58.) 
Commissure. The line formed by the edges of the closed mouth (upper 
and lower jaw). 
Compressed. Flattened from side to side; higher than broad. (Fig. 
130.) The reverse of depressed. 
Contour Feathers. The common feathers of the head, neck, and body 
which give shape to the bird; usually includes all but the flight feathers 
and down. 
Crescentic. Crescent-shaped; new moon shaped. 
Crest. A more or, less lengthened tuft of feathers on top of the head, 
which usually can be raised or depressed at pleasure. (Fig. 98.) 
Crested. Furnished with a crest (on the head, of course). 
Crimson. Blood-red; the color of the cruder sorts of carmine (Ridgway). 
Crown. The vertex; that part of the top of the head between the fore- 
head and the occiput. 
Culmen. The profile or upper outline of the upper mandible. 
Cuneate. Wedge-shaped. (Fig. 66.) 
Depressed. Expanded from side to side; broader than high. (Fig. 98.) 
Opposed to compressed. 
Distal. Toward or at the extremity. Opposed to proximal. 
Diurnal. Pertaining to the daytime. 
Dorsal. Relating to the back. 
Drab. A brownish gray color. 
Dusky. A dark color of more or less indefinite or neutral tint (Ridgway). 
Ear-coverts. The feathers overlying the ears of most birds; the auri- 
culars. 
Ear-tufts. Erectile tufts of elongated feathers springing from each 
side of the crown or forehead; plumicorns. (Plate 29.) 
Elevated. Said of the hind toe, when it arises from the shank above 
the level of the front toes. (Fig. 61.) 
Emarginate. With the margin cut away. (Fig. 73.) An emarginate 
tail has the middle pair of feathers shortest, the rest successively a little 
longer. 
