400 C. J. Sundevall on the Wings of Birds. 
all the other feathers by their size and stiffness. They are 
seated in the skin along the whole posterior margin of the 
cubitus and hand, but no true quill-feathers occur upon the 
humerus. They belong definitely to the upper (outer) sur¬ 
face of the wing, for they always lie with their basal ends 
outside of the bones and muscles. They are always destitute 
of accessory plumes. 
1. Remiges primores * (“ lash-feathers,” figs. 3, 4, 7, 8,/), 
which are seated upon the hand, constitute the most important 
part of the organ of flight, and exceed all others in size, firm¬ 
ness, the size of the quill-tube, and the shortness and elasticity 
of the vane. They lie, with the quill-tubes in an oblique 
direction, strongly attached upon nearly the whole breadth of 
the wing-bones, and have, in consequence, a very inconsider¬ 
able amount of mobility. In number they are usually 10, so 
that the first is seated upon the outermost (second) finger- 
joint, attached along its posterior (ulnar) side, less distinctly 
outwards than the following ones. The second, third, and 
fourth are placed upon the first finger-joint, and the six fol¬ 
lowing upon the metacarpus (compare fig. 1). The last of 
them is somewhat longer than the first feather of the arm 
(Parus caudatus constitutes the only exception known to me). 
The number of these feathers varies but little; only between 
9 and 11. There are 9 of them only in some Song-birds, 
and this because the first feather disappears (of which more 
hereafter) ; and 11 in the genera Podiceps (all the Swedish 
species, also P. dommicensis and philippensis), Phcenicopterus, 
Anastomus, Tantalus , Ciconia (according to Nitzsch also C. 
mycteria , but not C. argala ), Musophaga , and Corythaix , but 
not in Schizorhis, Wagl.f 
They vary still more in size, proportions, and form, for 
* I employ this name, adopted by Linne, in default of a better one, as 
expressing their position; for the terms R. manus, or digiti, or digitales are 
not very applicable, and manuales is unsuitable. See also the note on the 
R. Militates further on. 
t In the Diving Ducks ( A . glacialis , &c.) there is a very small third 
finger-joint, which has a rudimentary first quill-feather, with its small 
covert-feather. So also in TJria troile and alle, hut not in U. grylle or 
Aha torda. 
