AVES. 



153 



Fiji. Gfl,~SlcrnHl 



composed originally of five pieces : one medial (fig. 68, a), of which this salient lamina 

 [known as the sternal crest, ridge, or keel] constitiites a part ; two triangular anterior la- 

 ^ tcral [termed costal processes] (h), for the attachment of the ribs ; 



and two forked posterior lateral (c), for the extension of its sur- 

 face ; and the greater or less degree of the ossification [that is to 

 say, obliteration] of the notches of these last, and the extent of 

 the interval which is left between them and their principal bone, 

 denote the relative amount of vigour of fiight in Birds. The 

 [Eagles, Harriers, (the Falcons much more slowly, if indeed at 

 all), and some other] diurnal Birds of prey, the Swifts and the 

 Humming-birds, [the Parrots, and also the Storm-petrels,] lose, 

 as they grow old, aU traces of these unossified spaces. [In the 

 Ostrich and its allies, the sternum is composed originally of only two pieces ; and the 

 number likewise varies m those Birds which jjossess a sternal crest.] 



The fourchette \_furcula, or " meny-thought" bone], (fig. 68, d), produced by the 

 junction of the two clavicles, and the two stout abutments formed by the [huge] 

 coracoid aphophyses (e), keep the shoulders apart, notwithstanding the opposing force 

 exerted by the action of flying ; the fourchette, In particular, is commonly more stout 

 and open, according as the flight of a Bird is vigorous.* (See fig. 67.) The 

 wing, suj)ported by the humerus (fig. 69 a,) fore-arm 

 (A), and hand, which is elongated, and exhibits one 

 digit and the rudiments of two [or (including the 

 winglet 0,) three] others (1, 2,4) is furnished through- 

 out its length with a range of elastic quills,which greatly 

 extend the surface that resists the air. The quills ad- 

 hering to the hand are named jirimaries, and these are 

 [fdmost] always ten in numberf ; those attached to 

 the fore-arm are called seconil<(rics, but their number 

 varies ; weaker feathers attached to the humerus are 

 styled scapiilaries [lertiaries ; the true scapularies 

 constituting that sejiarate range which grows over 

 the scapulars, or " shoulder-blades"] ; and the bone 

 which represents the thumb | (o), is also furnisb.cd 

 with what are designated bastard quills, [this member 

 being generally termed alula spuria, or ivincjlet] . Along 

 the base of the quills is a range [and successive 

 ranges] of feathers named coverts [both on the outer 

 and inner surfaces of the wing, wdiich receive corre- 

 sponding appellations to those of the quill-fcathers they 

 impend, as primary coverts, &c., and are further distinguished as greater, lesser, and least'] . 



rig. 69.— Jcr Falcuii's Win;j. 



* Id the instance of the Parrots. BOiac of flhith arc birds of very 

 strong tlif^ht. aithou^'li ttie coracoids are al\iays very stout (intich 

 resemblinu^ those of tlie Hawks), ihe furcuia is never strong, and is 

 peculiarly flattened, so tliat its resistinj,- force is tlius considerably 

 diminislica. Some Parroquels, indeed, as tiiosc snjall ones popularly 

 termed Love tjirds [Af;r'ip<>rms), have no urcula whatever; and it 

 IS worthy of being noticed that tlie restricted Toucans {Rhn,:,phtJ.^to.^) 

 bave the clavicles separate and very short, forming small tiaggcr- 

 shaped aijpeodages, the use of which is not obvious.— Ed- 



t In the Grebe genus, eleven : many of the aingiog birds have the 



lelyn 



the ^ 



tarlingand som 

 that the numb 



olhe 



■s, it is, 

 n these 



malogieally spenlting, wanting 

 reduced to nine. — Eu. 



J As ou the removal of digits, that of the thumb is fout,d to be 

 nvariably the first, the rudimentary finger above reterred to is now 

 ronaidered as analogous to tbe inde.t finger of the human Land : the 

 humb, however, being sometimes represented by a bony spine ■ 

 IS the spur of a common fowl represents the first digit o( the 

 foot,- Eu. 



