A History of North American Birds, Land Birds. Volume 3

Glu´tæus, n. A muscle of the side of the rump.

Gnathid´ium, n.; pl. gnathidia. Branch of the lower jaw as far as it is naked. (Oftener used in the plural.) (24.)

Gnathothe´ca, n. Covering of the lower mandible. (14.)

Gonyde´al, a. Pertaining to the mandibular symphysis.

Go´nys, n. Keel or lower outline of the bill as far as the mandibular rami are united. (The word is commonly but erroneously so written, as if from the Greek gonu, knee, or protuberance of the bill; it is rather from the Greek genus (genys), signifying chin.—Sundevall.)

Gor´get, n. Throat-patch, distinguished by color or texture of the feathers.

Gra´dient, a. Walking or running by steps. Opposed to saltatory, or leaping.

Grad´uated, a. Changing length at regular intervals, in regular succession; said chiefly of the tail when its feathers regularly shorten successively by more and more from the middle to the outer.

Graminiv´orous, a. Grass-eating.

Graniv´orous, a. Seed-eating.

Gran´ulate, a. Roughened with numerous small elevations, like shagreen. (Said chiefly of the tarsus.)

Greater Wing-cov´erts, n. The single, longest, most posterior series of the secondary set. (92.)

Ground-col´or (in oölogy), n. The color of the general surface of the egg-shell, as distinguished from its markings.

Grypan´ium, a. Noting a particular form of bill, in which the culmen is nearly straight, but bent down at the tip.

Gu´la, n. Upper foreneck, adjoining chin; upper throat. (52.)

Gu´lar, a. Pertaining to the upper foreneck.

Gut´tate, n. Having drop-shaped spots.

Gut´tiform, a. Drop-shaped.

Gut´tur, n. The whole foreneck. (51.) (But guttural is rarely used in this connection.)

Gymnopæ´dic, n. Synonymous with psilopædic.

Gymnorhi´nal, a. Having unfeathered nostrils.

H

Hab´itat, n. Locality or region frequented by a species; its geographical distribution.

Hab´itus, n. Habitude; mode of life.

Hack´le, n. Long cervical feather of the domestic cock.

Hæ´mal Arch, n. The lower ring of a (ideally or actually) complete vertebra, enclosing a section of the principal vascular and visceral systems, as the neural arch does a section of the principal nervous system. In birds the hæmal arch is complete only in the thoracic region.

Hæ´mal Spine, n. An ideal transverse section of the sternum corresponding to any one pair of ribs, completing the hæmal arch inferiorly.

Hæmapoph´ysis, n. Segment, actual or potential, of the hæmal arch between the pleurapophysis and hæmal spine. In birds it actually exists in the thoracic region, as the sternal rib, movably articulated with the sternum and the vertebral rib, which latter is the pleurapophysis.

Hæmatit´ic, a. Of a bloody-red color.

Hæmatother´ma, n. Warm-blooded animals collectively; the antithesis is hæmatocrya.

Hal´lucal, a. Pertaining to the hallux.

Hal´lux, n. The hind toe. The name is retained, even when the hind toe is brought round to the front. When the toes are in pairs, it is the inner of the two hind ones, excepting in Trogonidæ. In the genus Picoides the actual single hind toe is not the hallux, but the fourth toe reversed, there being no hallux. This toe may always be recognized by presence of not more than two joints. It is the one usually wanting in three-toed birds, and is frequently rudimentary or functionless, even when present. Its large size, with largest claw, and specialization of its flexor muscle, marks the passerine or highest group of birds. (129.) (Sometimes written hallex or allex.)

Halo´nes, n. pl. Certain appearances of the yolk, probably due to the margins of its successive layers.

Ham´ulate, a. Hooked.

Ham´ulus, n.; pl. hamuli. Hooked fringe of a barbule; hooked barbicel.

Hand-quills, n. Primary remiges. (75.)

Has´tate, a. Spear-head shaped.

Head, n. (9, 29.)

Heel, n. (107.) See Calcaneus and Talus. Upper back part of tarso-metatarsus (tarsus or shank), rarely resting on the ground in birds when standing erect. (Commonly, but most improperly, called knee.)

Heel-joint, n. (103.) See Suffrago. The tibio-tarsal articulation, as it is called; that between the leg (crus), and the tarso-metatarsus (shank). With few exceptions among certain Raptores, it always bends backward; the knee always has its convexity forward.

Heel-pad, n. (115.) Pterna; tuber (which see). The posterior portion of pelma, immediately under the foot-joint, and frequently prominent. (But heel-pad should not be used in this connection, since the heel (calcaneus) is at the top of the tarsus, and not at the bottom where the heel-pad lies.) (115.)

Hemi- (in composition). Semi-; demi-; half.

Hepat´ic, a. Pertaining to the liver; as, hepatic artery, hepatic secretion.

Heteroge´neous, a. Of different or dissimilar nature; of mixed or miscellaneous character.

Hex´agon, n. Figure of six sides and six edges.

Hexag´onal, a. Having six sides and edges.

Hiber´nal, a. Pertaining to the winter time. (Neither this nor æstival are much used, although vernal and autumnal are continually employed.)

Hind-neck, n. (48.) See Cervix.

Hind-toe, n. (129.) See Hallux.

Hinder Parts. (8.) See Uræum.

Hip, n. Joint of femur with pelvis; projection formed by femoral trochanter over the joint.

Hirsute´, a. Hairy; rather shaggy, as the feet of a grouse.

Histog´eny, n. Formation of tissue.

Histol´ogy, n. Minute anatomy; history of tissue.

Histon´omy, n. Laws of formation of tissue.

Hoar´y, a. Of a pale silvery-gray.

Holorhi´nal, a. Having the nasal bones contiguous.

Homogene´ity, n. Sameness; structural similarity.

Homoge´neous, a. Of the same kind or nature. Opposed to heterogeneous. A homogeneous group contains only structurally related forms.

Homolog´ical, Homol´ogous, a. Structurally related; having structural affinity. Opposed to analogous, which implies similarity of appearance, purpose, or use without corresponding affinity.

Homol´ogy, n. Structural affinity, generally implying genetic relationship. Opposed to analogy, or mere resemblance.

Homotyp´ical, a. Of the same type of structure.

Homot´ypy, n. A particular kind of homology.

Hor´notine, a. or n. Yearling; a bird of the year.

Hu´meral, a. Pertaining to the humerus, or, more generally, to the upper arm.

Hu´merus, n. The upper arm bone; sometimes the whole upper-arm, from shoulder to elbow.

Hy´aline, Hy´aloid, a. Transparent, like glass; said chiefly of the vitreous humor of the eye, and of certain appurtenances of the back chamber of the eye.

Hy´brid, a. or n. Cross-born between two species; mongrel.

Hybridiza´tion, n. Cross-fertilization. Production of hybrids.

Hy´bridize. To cross and bear mongrel offspring.

Hy´oid, Hyoid´ean, a. Pertaining to the os hyoides or tongue-bone, or, more generally, to the tongue itself.

Hypapoph´ysis, n. Bony process from the under side of a vertebra, sometimes very large, as in the loon.

Hyper- (in composition). Same as super- (which see).

Hyperbo´rean, a. Northern; boreal.

Hyperchrom´atism, n. State of unusually increased or intensified coloration.

Hyper´trophy, n. Inordinate enlargement of a part or organ, due to excessive nutrition. The opposite of atrophy, or the wasting away of an organ through deficient nutrition.

Hypo- (in composition). Same as sub- (which see).

Hypochon´drium, n. The flank. (Oftener used in the plural, hypochondria, flanks.) (67.)

Hypodac´tylum, n. Soles of the toes. (118.)

Hypogas´tric, a. Under or behind the belly. (Little used).

Hypognath´ous, a. Having the under mandible longer than the upper, as the black skimmer.

Hypopti´lum, n. Supplementary plume, or accessory plume, springing from the same barrel of the main feather. Generally found, but wanting in many families, and always on the quills of the wings and tail. Synonymous with hyporrhachis as generally used.

Hypora´dii, n. pl. Barbs of the hypoptilum.

Hyporrha´chis, n. Aftershaft; stem or scape of the supplementary plume. Generally used for the whole of such accessory feather, but best thus restricted.

Hypoth´esis, n. A reasonable presumption or supposition taken as premise of an argument, or as probably true, to account for what is not understood. As it does not necessarily rest upon fact, it has not the weight or dignity of theory.

Hypothet´ical, a. Reasonably presumptive: logically supposititious; conditional; assumed without proof but with fair probability.

I

Identifica´tion, n. Act or process of determining to what species a specimen or a name belongs; the determination so made.

Iden´tify. To determine the name of a specimen or of a species; to ascertain the identity of a certain specimen with a name, or name with a certain species.

Igno´ble, a. Said of hawks lacking the special qualities of those used in falconry.

Il´eum, n. Lower portion of small intestine.

Il´iac, a. Relating to the ilium, or haunch-bone; also, to the ileum.

Il´ium, n. Haunch-bone; principal bone of the pelvis, forming with the ischium and pubis the os innominatum.

Im´bricated, a. Fixed shingle-wise with overlapping edge or end.

Immac´ulate, a. Unspotted; not marked with different colors.

Immature´, a. Not having yet assumed final size, shape, color, or other conditions of the adult.

Imper´forate, a. Not pierced through; also, closed up (said chiefly of the nostrils).

Implacen´tal, a. Having no placenta. Birds are implacental.

Incised´, a. Cut out; cut away.

Incuba´tion, n. Act of setting on eggs to hatch them.

Incum´bent, a. Depressed or bending down upon something; laid at full length; chiefly said of the hind-toe when its whole length rests on the ground or other support, owing to its low insertion on the level of the rest. (131.)

In´cus, a. A bone of the inner ear of mammalia, held by high authority to be homologous with the os quadratum of birds (which see). See also Malleus.

In´dex, n. The principal digit of the wing is often so called, but is really homologous with the third or middle finger of mammals; the pollex or so-called thumb of birds being the homologue of the mammalian index.

In´doles, n. Natural disposition.

Indumen´tum, n. Covering of birds; the ptilosis or plumage. (142.)

In´fra- (in composition). Below; under; opposite of supra-. It is in part synonymous with sub-, but refers only, to position, while sub- is of more extensive application.

Inframax´illary, n. The under jaw bone, or mandible.

Infraor´bital, a. Below the eye-socket.

Infundibu´liform, a. Funnel-shaped.

Infundib´ulum, n. Funnel; name of several different organs.

Inges´ta, n. pl. Things eaten; contents of crop or stomach. Opposed to egesta.

Inglu´vies, n. Crop or craw. Also used synonymously with chin.

In´guen, n. The groin; whence the adj. inguinal. (Little used.)

In´guinal, a. Pertaining to the groin.

Inner Toe, n. (127.) In most birds the second is the inner anterior toe; in the trogons, the third or middle toe becomes inner anterior by reversion of the second, which is then inner posterior. In a few exotic kingfishers, the second or inner anterior is rudimentary or wanting. In several birds the hallux or first or hinder toe is reversed, and becomes inner anterior. But in any position the inner toe, properly speaking, is the second, that one with only three joints.

Innom´inate (bone), n. The pelvic bone, composed of ilium, ischium, and pubis.

Inoscula´tion, n. Same as Anastomosis (which see).

Insectiv´orous, a. Insect-eating.

Insesso´res, n. pl. Perching-birds; an order now becoming obsolete.

Insesso´rial, a. Relating to perching-birds.

Insis´tent, a. Said of the hind toe, when its base is so elevated that the tip only touches the ground. (130.)

In´stinct, n. Imperfect reason; the faculty of doing the right thing without knowing why.

Integ´ument, n. A covering or envelope; commonly, the skin.

Inter- (in composition). Between; among.

Interartic´ular, a. Between the joints; in a joint; as, interarticular cartilage.

Intercos´tal, a. Between two ribs; as, intercostal muscle, artery, vein.

Intermax´illary (bone), n. Same as Premaxillary (which see).

In´ternode, n. Any bone of a finger or toe.

Interor´bital, a. Between the eye-sockets.

Interra´mal, a. Between the forks or rami of the lower jaw.

Interrupt´ed, a. Discontinuous; broken up.

Interscapil´ium or Interscap´ulum, n. Region of the upper back between the shoulders. (58.)

Interscap´ular, a. Between the shoulders. The plural, interscapulars or interscapularies, is used to denote the feathers of such region collectively.

Invag´inate, a. Sheathed.

Inver´tebrate, a. or n. Having no backbone; an animal without a backbone. Opposed to vertebrate.

I´rian, Irid´ian, a. Pertaining to the iris.

Irides´cent, a. Glittering with many colors, which change in different lights.

I´ris, n. Circular muscular curtain suspended perpendicularly in the eye between the aqueous and vitreous chambers, having a hole in the centre (the pupil). It is of all colors in birds.

Ischiat´ic, a. Pertaining to the ischium.

Is´chium, n. One of the pelvic bones, the hindermost.

–Ish. A suffix, forming an adjective, usually denoting possession of a quality in less degree; especially used for colors; as, blackish, not quite black, etc.

Isth´mus, n. Neck or narrow strip connecting two larger portions of same region, patch of color, etc.

J

Jaw, n. See Maxilla, Mandible.

Jeju´num, n. Portion of intestine between duodenum and ileum (not definite, and little used).

Ju´gal, a. Pertaining to the zygoma.

Ju´gal (bone), n. Same as malar bone.

Ju´gular, a. Pertaining to the jugulum.

Ju´gulum, n. Lower throat; lower foreneck. (53.)

Junctu´ra, n. Articulation; joint.

K

Keel, n. Same as Gonys (which see). (22.)

Knee, n. Femoro-tibial articulation. (N. B. The heel-joint, suffrago, or tibio-metatarsal articulation, is often improperly called knee.) (102.)

L

La´bel, n. Card, ticket, or similar slip of paper, parchment, etc., affixed to an object, giving written information respecting it.

Lac´erate, Lacin´iate, a. Cut or slashed on the edge or end into a fringe or brush.

Lach´rymal (bone), a. A large stout bone forming part of the orbit.

Lacu´na, n. Small pit or depression; oftener, an open space or vacuity, as in the palate.

Lacu´næ, n. pl. Certain small excavations in bone and in mucous membrane.

Lacus´trine, a. Lake-inhabiting.

Lamb´doid, a. L-shaped.

Lamel´la, n.; pl. lamellæ, Lam´ina, n.; pl. laminæ, A thin plate or scale; a plate-like process. The processes inside a duck’s bill are lamellæ; the individual barbs of a feather are laminæ.

Lam´ellate, Lam´inate, a. Having, or composed of, laminæ, or series of plates.

Lamelliros´tral, a. Having a lamellate bill.

Lamelliros´tres, n. pl. A group of lamellate-billed birds (the duck tribe).

Lan´ceolate, a. Lance-head shaped; tapering narrowly at one end, less so at the other.

Larynge´al, a. Pertaining to the larynx.

Lar´ynx, n. Adam’s-apple, hollow cartilaginous organ, a modification of the windpipe either at the top or bottom, but especially the former; the lower larynx being called Syrinx (which see).

Lat´eral, a. To or towards the side; on either hand from the middle line.

Lat´erally, a. Sidewise.

Latis´simus, a. for n. A certain muscle of the back.

Legs. (96.)

Lens (crystalline), n. A circular biconvex transparent body in the eye which brings rays of light to a focus.

Lesser Wing-coverts, n. pl. The smaller anterior set of secondary coverts in several series upon the plica alaris.

Leva´tor, n. Generic name of muscles that elevate; as, levator palpebræ, lifter of the eyelid.

Lig´ament, n. Fibrous band or sheet binding bones or other structures together.

Ligamen´tum Nu´chæ, n. A particular strong elastic ligament along the nape and cervix of many animals.

Ligamen´tum Te´res, n. A particular strong fibrous cord holding the head of the femur in its socket.

Lim´bate, a. Having edging of one color against another.

Li´mes Facia´lis, n. Facial outline; line of the feathers all around the bill.

Limico´læ, n. pl. A group of shore-waders, as plover, snipe, etc.

Limic´oline, a. Shore-inhabiting.

Lin´ear, a. Narrow, with straight parallel sides; uniformly narrow for a long distance.

Lin´gua, n. Tongue.

Linis´ci, n. pl. Reticulations of the podotheca. (Little used.)

Liv´er, n. See Gland.

Lo´bate, Lobed, a. Furnished with membranous flaps (said chiefly of toes). See Lomatinus. (137.)

Lobe, n. Membranous flap (generally curved, but may be straight-edged). See Loma.

Lo´ma, n. Lobe; membranous fringe or flap. (135.)

Lomat´inus, a. Furnished with lobes or flaps. (134.)

Long-exsert´ed, a. Said of tail-feathers abruptly much longer than the rest.

Longipen´nes, n. pl. A group of long-winged swimming-birds, the gulls, terns, and petrels.

Longipen´nine, a. Having long wings (reaching, when folded, beyond the tail).

Longiros´tral, a. Having a long bill (longer than the head).

Longiros´tres, n. pl. An obsolete group of long-billed wading birds.

Longis´simus, a. for n. A certain muscle of the back.

Longitu´dinal, a. Running lengthwise, or in direction of the antero-posterior axis of the body.

Lon´gus Col´li. A certain muscle of the neck.

Lo´ral, a. Pertaining to the lore.

Lore, Lo´rum, n. Space between eye and bill. (39.)

Lower Back. (59.) See Tergum.

Lower Jaw. Lower Mandible. (11.) See Mandible.

Lower Parts. (6.) See Gastræum.

Lower Wing-coverts. (85.) See Tectrices.

Lower Tail-coverts. See Calypteria, Crissum, Tectrices.

Lum´bar, a. Pertaining to, or situate in, the loins. In birds, a lumbar region or lumbar vertebræ are not well distinguished, if at all; and in many, rib-bearing vertebræ continue into the sacral region.

Lumbric´iform, a. Same as Vermiform (which see).

Lu´nulate, a. Narrowly crescentic.

Lu´teous, a. Clay-colored.

Lymphat´ic, a. or n. Pertaining to lymph; an absorbent vessel.

Ly´rate, a. Lyre-shaped, as the tail of Menura superba or Tetrao tetrix.

M

Mac´erated, a. Soaked to softness.

Mac´ula, n. A spot.

Mac´ulate, a. Spotted.

Mag´num, a. for n. One of the carpal bones.

Ma´la, n. Basal portion of outside of lower jaw, usually feathered. (Sometimes used for corresponding portion of upper jaw; the site and boundary of mala and gena are not well determined, and vary with writers. Both lie on side of head, back of bill, and under lore, eye, and ear.) (26.)

Ma´lar Re´gion. Same as mala.

Malleo´lus, n.; pl. malleoli. The enlarged articular surface of the bottom of the tibia; in birds formed by confluence of the two proximal tarsal ossicles.

Mal´leus, n. A bone of the inner ear of mammalia, held by high authority as probably homologous with the Os Quadratum (which see).

Mam´ma, n. Teat.

Mam´mary, a. Pertaining to the teats, or function of lactation.

Man´dible, Mandib´ula, n. Jaw. Properly the under jaw, the upper jaw being maxilla. (11.)

Mandib´ular, a. Pertaining to the under jaw. (Maxillary relates to the upper jaw.)

Manduca´tion, n. Mastication.

Mandu´catory, a. Pertaining to mastication.

Mantle, n. (61.) See Stragulum and Pallium.

Manu´brium Ster´ni, n. (Literally “handle.”) Process of breast-bone on front border at root of keel.

Man´us, n. Hand; all of the wing, excepting the feathers, which lies beyond the wrist; the metacarpus and digits, with associate soft parts. It corresponds with pes.

Mar´bling, n. Fine spotting and streaking intermixed; variegation like marble. The markings are more distinct than in clouding or nebulation.

Mar´ginal Fringe, n. See Loma. (135.)

Mar´go, n. Margin. Margo mentalis, inner boundary of the forks of the mandible. Margo malaris, boundary of the base of the mala.

Marsu´pium, n. Vascular, erectile, membranous organ in the back chamber of the eye of birds, supposed to aid in accommodation of vision. Also called pecten.

Masse´ter, n. One of the muscles that effect mastication.

Mas´tax, n. “Side of the forepart of head, adjacent to the base of the bill.” (37.) (Little used, and undistinguished from lore.)

Mas´toid, a. Name of a process of the temporal bone.

Ma´trix, n. Mould. Tissue or organ containing something and determining its form or other condition.

Maxil´la, n. Jaw, especially the upper jaw, or maxilla superior; the maxilla inferior being especially called mandibula. (10.)

Max´illar, Max´illary, a. Pertaining to the upper jaw. Maxillary bone, the cheek-bone; in birds an inconsiderable bone of the bill itself, not of the cheek.

Max´illo-pal´atine (bone), n. Certain paired bone of the upper jaw in the palate.

Mea´tus, n. Passage or canal. Meatus auditorius, ear-passage.

Me´dian, a. Lying in the middle line. Opposed to lateral.

Mediasti´num, n. One of the thoracic partitions.

Medul´la, n. Marrow. Medulla spinalis, spinal cord. Medulla oblongata, tract of nerve matter between cerebellum and spinal cord proper.

Mel´anism, n. State of coloration resulting from excess of black or dark pigment; a frequent condition of hawks.

Melanis´tic, Melanot´ic, a. Affected with melanism.