628 OHIO BIRDS. 
bones confluent with it, so that in itself it comprehends part of tarsus as well as all of 
metatarsus. 
Tarsus. Theankle bones collectively. In birds there are no persistently separate tarsal 
bones, since the two proximal ones are confluent with the extremity of the tibia, form- 
ing its so called malleoli, and the distal one anchyloses with the metatarsus, leaving 
the tarsal joint between them, as in reptiles, not between the tarsal bones and the 
tibia, as in mammalia. But in descriptive ornithology, the whole segment between 
the tibia and the toes, commonly called the shank, is usually called tarsus. 
Tectrices. Coverts; the smaller feathers, either of wing or tail, but especially of the 
former. 
Tenuirostral. Slender-billed. 
Tertials, Tertiaries. Large inner quills of wings growing from humerus or elbow. The 
two or three longer inner true secondaries are often incorrectly called tertials, 
especially when distinguished by size, shape, and color from the rest of the second- 
aries. | 
Tibia. Principal and inner bone of leg between knee and heel; the shin bone. 
Tomium, pl. tomia. The cutting edge of the bill. 
Totipalmate. Having all four toes webbed. 
Truncate. Cut squarely off. 
Type. Way; plan; mode. Aiso, sign orsymbol. Tho type, or typical form, of a group 
is that which exhibits a given set of characters most perfectly. But the type of a 
genus is usually the species, if any, from which the generic characters were especially 
drawn up, without reference to such qualification; while, furthermore, the type of a 
species, in current acceptation, is merely the specimen from which the species was: 
originally described ; even though it may very inadequately represent such species. 
Typical. Of most usual structure; adhering strictly to a given plan of structure. 
V 
Variety. A nascent species. Practically, the term designates a set of objects incom- 
pletely distinguished from the othersof the same species by reason of slightness of the 
difference, or presence of connecting links. 
Versatile. Keversible; susceptible of turning either way. 
Vertex. Crown. Highest central portion of top of head. 
W 
Washed. As if overlaid with a thin layer of different color. 
