GLOSSARY 
Albinism, The occasional and erratic occurrence of white specimens, either pure or 
partial, complete or in irregular spots, in species that normally are riot white. It is nothing 
more than a freak caused by a deficiency of colouring matter in the plumage ($ee page 6). 
Axillars or Axillaries, A fan-shaped group of feathers under the wing closing the 
space between the innermost flight feathers and the body when in flight. 
Bars. In descriptions of bird coloration, bars designate lines across the body and not 
parallel with the shafts of the feathers (See stripes). 
Bluff. In western parlance is any isolated clump of trees or patch of woods on the 
prairies. As so used and as applied in this work, it carries no sense of steep hill-side or 
rise of ground. 
Gere. A wax-like swelling about the base of the upper mandible, present in some 
species, especially the Hawks (See Figure 34 a and b, page 30). 
Coulee. Steep, ravine-like valleys cut below the prairie level by streams. They 
may be quite narrow or a mile or more across. 
Coverts. The feathers covering the bases of the larger flight and tail feathers. There 
are upper and underwing-coverts and upper and under tail-coverts. The upperwing- 
coverts are divided into greater and lesser coverts, the former being the largest line im- 
mediately next to the flight shafts and resembling them to some degree in texture (Figure 
1, page 24). 
Crepuscular. Pertaining to twilight. 
Crown. The top of the head from the forehead to near the base of the skull. 
Culmen. This may be called the ridge line of bill. Viewed sideways, the line 
forming the top outline of the bill from the spring of the first forehead feathers to the tip is 
the culmen line. It is measured in a straight line, as with dividers, not following the curves 
as with a tape line (Figure 1, page 24). 
Dichromatism. The normal occurrence of two different colorations in the same 
species due to neither sex, season, nor age and only partly hereditary. Both colorations 
may occur in the same brood, though the tendency is for like to produce like and one form 
may predominate in any given locality (See page 6). 
Emarginate. When applied to the shape of feathers indicates that more or less of 
one web is cut away as if a shaving had been removed with a jack-knife (Figure 184, 
page 124). 
Extralimital. In describing distribution refers to the subject occurring beyond 
the geographical bounds of the area under discussion. 
Family. In zoological classification is one of the larger groups of animals having 
enough mutual resemblance to be classed together and apart from all other forms. It is 
the next larger group to a genus and next smaller to an order or suborder. For example, 
all the Ducks, Geese, and Swans belong to the same family, Anatidae (See page 4). 
Flanks. The sides of the body, below or under the closed wing. They are often 
covered by a loose group of feathers that may be laid at will either over or under the shafts 
of the closed wing (Figure 1, page 24). 
Genus (plural, genera). In zoological classification is one of the smaller groups of 
animals having enough resemblance to be classed together and apart from all other groups 
of like rank. It is a subdivision of a family or subfamily and next above a species. A 
genus is, therefore, a group of species, and a group of genera is a family (See page 4). 
Gular Pouch. A pouch of bare skin depending from the under side of the lower bill 
between its Y-shaped arms and joining it to the neck below. Some species have only the 
merest trace of it, and others have it remarkably developed, though in most sj)ecies it is 
entirely absent (Figures 90, 94, pages 52 and 56). 
Hybrid. The offspring between parents of two different species — a "cross.” 
Iris. The coloured part of the eye. The pupil, except in albinism, is always black 
and the surrounding circle of colour is the iris. 
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