418 
BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
Ma'lar Re gion.—The side of the lower jaw behind the horny covering ot the 
mandible, usually feathered. In most birds it is a well-defined tract, extend¬ 
ing backward from tho base of the maxilla, beneath the lores, orbits, and 
aurieulars, and bounded beneath by the chin and throat. 
Man'dible.— Properly the under jaw, the upper being maxilla. 
Manuibu'lar.—Pertaining to the lower jaw. 
Man'tle.—In certain Laridce and some other birds, the mantle is that portion of the 
upper plumage distinguished by the other parts of a peculiar and uniform 
color, suggesting, by its position, a mantle thrown over the body. It usually 
includes simply the back, scapulars, and wings and the term is perhaps ap¬ 
propriate only when thus restricted. 
Marine'.—Pertaining to the sea. 
Margined.—Narrowly bordered with a different color. 
Maroon'.—A. rich brownish crimson ; claret color. 
Mask ed.—Having the anterior portion of the head colored differently, in a con¬ 
spicuous manner, from the rest of the plumage. 
Max'illa.—The upper jaw, or upper mandible. 
Max'illary.—Pertaining to the maxilla. 
Me dian. £ ^long the middle line. 
Me dial. S 
Mel anism.—A peculiar state of coloration resulting from excess of black or dark 
pigment. A frequent condition of hawks. 
Metal'lic—As applied to colors having a brilliant appearance, like burnished 
metal. 
Mid'dle Toe.—The middle one of the three anterior toes. It is usually 4-jointed, 
and longer than the lateral toes. In numerical order it is the third, the hind 
toe, or hallux, being the first, and the inner toe the second. In zygodactylous 
birds it corresponds to the outer anterior toe, the fourth toe being reversed. 
( The series of coverts, usually in a single transverse 
Mid'dle Cov'erts. J row, situated between the lesser and greater, or sec- 
Mid'dle Wing-coverts. < ondary coverts. They usually overlap one another 
Me'dian Cov'erts. in the reverse manner from the other coverts, the 
inner or upper edge being the one exposed. 
Migra tion,—Periodical change of abode, influenced chiefly by seasonal changes in 
climate, in which case the migration is regularly periodical , the vernal or 
spring migration being in the northern hemisphere, northward, the^autumnal 
migration southward, but vice versa in the southern hemisphere. The migra¬ 
tions of many birds, however, are irregular or erratic , being prompted by the 
necessity of finding the requisite food-supply. The Passenger Pigeon (Ecto- 
pistes migratoria), American Robin (Merula. migratoria), Cedar-bird (Am- 
pelis cedrorum ), etc., are migratory in this sense ; while the tanagers, orioles, 
and others, which pass the summer only in northern latitudes and winter en¬ 
tirely within the tropics are periodical migrants. 
Mir'ror.—See speculum. 
Monog'amous.—Pairing; mating with a single one of the opposite sex. Birds ot 
which the male assists in incubation and care of the young are called doubly 
monogamous. 
Moustache'.—In descriptive ornithology any conspicuous stripe on the side of the 
head beneath the eye. 
N. 
Nape.—The upper portion of the hind-neck or cervix. 
Na'sal.—Pertaining to the nostrils. 
Natation.—Act of swimming. 
Natato'res.—Swimming birds, as geese, ducks, gulls, etc. 
Nic'titating Mem'brane.—The third or inner eye-lid of biros. 
