GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS 
USED IN 
DESCRIPTIVE ORNITHOLOGY. 
A. 
Ab'domen (L. abdo'men), n. The belly. (Plate XL) 
Abdo'minal, (L. abdomina'lis), a. Pertaining to the abdomen. 
Aberrant, (L. aber'rans), a. Deviating from the usual, or normal, 
character. 
Abnor'mal (L. abnorma'lis), a. Of very unusual or extraordinary character. 
The opposite of normal. 
Abor'tive (L. abor'tivus), a. Imperfectly developed. 
Accessory, a. Joined to another thing; additional (as an accessory 
plume). 
Accip'itres (L.), n. Plural of Accipiter ; also the name of a more or less 
artificial group of birds, including the so-called " Birds of Prey," or 
Raptores of some authors. 
Accip'itrine (L. accipitri'nus), a. Hawk-like. 
Acic'ular (L. acicula'ris), a. Needle-shaped. (Plate XIV. fig. 11.) 
Acu'leate (L. aculea'tus), a. Slender-pointed. 
Acu'minate (L. acumina'tus), a. Tapering gradually to a point. 
Acute' (L. acu'tus), a. Sharp-pointed. 
Adolescence, n. Youth. 
Adult', n. As applied to birds, an individual which has attained the final 
or mature plumage. 
Adult', a. In Ornithology, having reached the fully mature or final 
plumage. (A bird may be adult as regards organization without being 
of adult plumage.) 
^Lstiv'al (L. cestiva'lis), a. Pertaining to summer. 
Aetomor'phse (L.), n. A nam (signifying " eagle-formed ") proposed 
by Professor Huxley for the Birds of Prey (Raptores or Accipitres 
of other authors). 
