WING. 555 



the phalanges of the fingers ; d corresponds with the metacarpus, 

 having two small bones attached to it ; at e e, for the carpus ; f con- 

 sists of two bones, similar to those of the fore-arm, the smaller is called 

 the ulna, the larger the radius ; g is the os humerus. From a and h 

 of the phalanges, and from the metacarpal joint c, arise the greater or 

 primary quill-feathers, usually consisting of ten or twelve. Prom the 

 fore-arm f spring the lesser or secondary quills, which cover the pri- 

 maries when the wing is closed, consisting of twelve or fourteen feathers, 

 according to the length of the wing. 



The os humerus g, bears what are called the tertials at the outer 

 extremity, and at the other end is articulated into the scapula, and 

 usually concealed by the scapular feathers ; h, is the alula spuria, from 

 whence those feathers arise which constitute the spurious wing ; this 

 part answers to the thumb in the human hand, and in the wild 

 swan (Cygnus ferus) is furnished with a corneous claw, as repre- 

 sented at h. 



Many ridiculous stories have been told of the great strength a swan 

 possesses in his wings, and how dangerous it is to approach the nest of 

 this bird, for a blow from its wing has been known to fracture a man's 

 thigh. It is high time such absurdities should be erased in this philo- 

 sophical age, and that the mind of man should reason before he con- 



