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

Nos´tril, n. (28½.) See Naris.

Notæ´um, n. The entire upper part of a bird. (5.)

No´tha, a. Spurious. By ala notha has been meant the scapular, axillar, and tertiary feathers collectively, which are also called parapterum.

No´tochord, n. Primitive condition of the backbone.

Nu´cha, n. Nape; upper part of cervix, next to occiput. (49.)

Nu´chal, a. Pertaining to the nape.

Nu´cleated, a. Containing a special cell or cells.

Nucleo´lus, n. Cell or point within a nucleus.

Nu´cleus, n. Special cell within another.

Nu´trient, a. Nourishing; nutritious.

Nutri´tion, n. Repair of waste that ensues by decomposition in animal life, and promotion of growth, with supply of new assimilable material. Alimentation is the act of supply; aliment or nutriment the supply; nutrition the result of its assimilation.

O

Oared (foot), a. Having the hind toe, as well as the others, full-webbed. See Steganopodous. (140.)

Obcor´date, a. Inversely heart-shaped.

Oblique´, a. Indirect; aslant. Also, name of certain abdominal muscles.

Ob´long, a. Longer than broad.

Obo´vate, a. Inversely ovate.

Obscure´, a. Dark; not evident; little known; faintly marked.

Ob´solete, a. Disused; little used. Also, synonymous with obscure, as obsolete spots; also, synonymous with imperfect or rudimentary: the hind toe of the petrel is obsolete.

Obtura´tor, n. A muscle, membrane, and foramen of the pelvis are respectively so called.

Obtuse´, a. Blunt. Opposed to acute.

Occip´ital, a. or n. Pertaining to the hind-head; as, occipital bone, occipital region.

Oc´ciput, n. The hind head. (33.)

Ocel´lus, n. (Literally “little eye.”) Distinct rounded spot of color, like the “eyes” of a peacock’s tail.

Och´rey, Och´reous, a. Color of yellow ochre.

Oc´reate, a. Booted. See Boot and Caligula.

Oc´ulo-mo´tor, n. A nerve of the eye-muscles.

Oc´ulus, n. Eye. (The adjective ocular being applied chiefly to processes and results of sight, much like visual, rather than to physical attributes, the word orbital is used for the latter instead.)

Odon´toid (process), a. A part of the axis (second cervical vertebra) is so called.

Œsoph´agus, n. Gullet; tube conveying food from mouth to stomach.

Olec´ranon, n. Upper back part of the ulna, not prominent in birds.

Olfac´tory, a. Pertaining to the sense of smell.

Oligomy´oid, a. Having few or imperfect syringeal muscles among Passeres.

Oligoto´kous, a. Producing few young.

Oliva´ceous, a. Of a mixed green and brown color.

Omniv´orous, a. Eating anything; feeding indiscriminately.

O´moplate, n. Shoulder-blade. (Omo-, in composition, is a prefix referring to the shoulder.)

Om´phalos, n. Same as umbilicus, navel.

Oölog´ical, a. Pertaining to oölogy.

Oöl´ogy, n. Science of birds’ eggs.

Oper´culum, n. Lid or cover; flap. The nasal scale, or roofing of the external nostrils, is the operculum naris.

Ophthal´mic, a. Pertaining to the eye. Ophthalmic region is equivalent to orbital region.

Op´tic, a. Pertaining to the eye, or to the sight. The optic nerve issues from the brain and spreads into the retina.

O´ral, a. Pertaining to the mouth.

Orbic´ular, a. Circular.

Or´bit, n. Eye-socket. Also, synonymous with orbita.

Or´bita, n. Circumorbital region taken immediately around the eye-opening. (41.)

Or´bital, a. Pertaining to the orbit.

Orbi´to-sphe´noid, n. Part of the sphenoid bone, forming a portion of the orbit.

Or´der, Or´do, n. In classification, a group pl. ordines, between family and class.

Or´dinal, a. Having the taxonomic rank or value of an order.

Or´gan, n. Any individual part, or system of parts, of the body having a specific physiological function, considered with reference to its action, processes, or results. Eye, organ of sight; wing, organ of flight; stomach, liver, organs of digestion; muscles collectively, organs of locomotion.

Or´ganism, n. Any living body capable of separate existence.

Or´gasm, n. Immoderate excitement; said chiefly of sexual excitement, of which the orgasm is the height. Erethism.

Ornith´ic, a. Pertaining to birds.

Ornithocop´rolite, n. Fossil bird-dung.

Ornithol´ogy, n. Science of birds.

Ornithot´omy, n. Anatomy of birds.

Os, n.; gen. oris; pl. ora. Mouth. Cavum oris, cavity of the mouth.

Os, n.; gen. ossis; pl. ossa. Bone. Many or most names of individual bones are adjectives, used substantively, os or bone being understood; as, hyoid or hyoides, hyoid (bone) or (os) hyoides, etc. The quadrate bone or os quadratum is, as to its physical characters and office, not found in animals above birds; it hinges the lower jaw, pterygoid, and malar bones to the rest of the skull. It is regarded as the homologue of the mammalian incus by some, by others as probably homologous with the mammalian malleus.

Os´cine, a. Musical; capable of singing.

Os´cines, n. pl. A group of singing-birds, possessing a complex vocal organ of numerous syringeal muscles, conferring musical ability. These are regarded as the highest or most perfectly developed of their class.

Os´seous, a. Bony.

Os´sicle, n. A small bone.

Ossif´ic, a. Bony; rather, having power to ossify.

Os´sified, a. Become bony; united by bone.

Os´sify. To form bone; to change into bone.

Osteolog´ical, a. Pertaining to osteology.

Osteol´ogy, n. A description of bones. Also used to denote the osseous system, as myology, neurology, splanchnology, likewise are for their respective systems.

Os´tium, n. Doorway; entrance.

O´tic, a. Pertaining to the ear.

O´tocrane, n. “Skull of the ear”; cavity containing essential organs of hearing.

Outer Covering. (142.) See Indumentum and Ptilosis.

Outer Web (of a feather). (150.) See Pogonium Externum.

O´val, O´vate, O´void, Ovoid´al, a. Egg-shaped; in a general sense, oblong and curvilinear. Distinctions which may subsist between these words are practically ignored among oölogical writers, who use them interchangeably for the oblong curvilinear shape when the curve is unequal at the opposite ends; the terms elliptical, ellipsoidal, being generally used to denote a curve equal at both ends. The transverse contour-line of an egg being always circular, the descriptive terms refer to the lengthwise contour, considered either as of a surface or a solid.

Ova´rium, n.; pl. ovaria, O´vary, n.; pl. ovaries, Organ or tissue in which eggs originate; they subsequently acquire albuminous deposit, and, in birds, a calcareous shell, in the oviduct.

O´viduct, n. Tube conveying eggs from ovary to cloaca.

Ovip´arous, a. Producing eggs which are developed after exclusion from the body. Opposed to viviparous.

Oviposi´tion, n. Act of laying eggs.

O´visac, n. Ovarian cavity in which an egg originates. Graafian vesicle.

Ovula´tion, n. Formation of eggs in, and discharge from, the ovary.

O´vum, n.; pl. ova. Egg. Sometimes synonymous with embryo.

P

Pab´ulum, n. Food; nourishment; aliment.

Pads. (123.) See Tylari.

Palæarc´tic, a. Indigenous to the northern parts of the Eastern Hemisphere.

Palæogæ´an, a. Indigenous to the Eastern Hemisphere, or “Old World.”

Palæornithol´ogy, n. Science of fossil birds.

Pal´ama, n. Webbing between the toes. (138.)

Pal´atal, Pal´atine, a. Pertaining to the palate; palatine is said especially of certain bones.

Pal´ate, n. Roof of mouth.

Pal´atum, n. The palate.

Pa´lea, n. Fleshy pendulous skin of the chin or throat; dewlap.

Pal´lium, n. Same as Stragulum (which see).

Pal´mar, a. Pertaining to the under surface of the pinion.

Pal´mate, Palma´ted, Pal´miped, a. Web-footed; having the anterior toes full-webbed. Compare Semipalmate and Totipalmate.

Pal´mate Foot. (139.)

Pal´pebra, n. Eyelid.

Pal´pebral, a. Pertaining to the eyelids.

Pal´pebrate, a. Having eyelids.

Palu´dicole, a. Marsh-inhabiting.

Pan´creas, n. A lobulated gland near the stomach, the secretion of which poured into the duodenum aids digestion by making an emulsion of fat.

Pancreat´ic, a. Pertaining to the pancreas; as, pancreatic fluid.

Papil´la, n. Small fleshy nipple-like prominence.

Pap´illate, Pap´illose, a. Having papillæ.

Pap´ulæ, n. pl. Pimples.

Pap´ulous, a. Pimply.

Paradac´tylum, n. Side of the toes, in any way distinguished from top or sole. (119.) (Little used.)

Paragnath´ous, a. Having both mandibles of equal length, their tips meeting.

Parapoph´ysis, n. Certain lateral process of a vertebra.

Parap´terum, n. Of uncertain meaning, but has been applied to the scapular region or its feathers. (Little used.)

Parasit´ic, a. Habitually making use of other birds’ nests.

Paratar´sium, n. Side of the tarsus, in any way distinguished. (105.) (Little used.)

Parato´num, n. Side of upper mandible when distinguished from the culmen. (Little used.)

Parauche´nium, n. Side of neck. (54.) (Little used.)

Paren´chyma, n. Essential substance of a viscus.

Pari´etal (bones), a. for n. Expanded bones forming part of the cranium.

Pari´etes, n. Wall.

Paroccip´ital, a. for n. Certain lateral elements of the occipital bone.

Parot´ic, a. About the ear. (45.)

Parot´id, a. or n. Pertaining to the ear. Especially, a salivary gland situate near the ear.

Pas´seres, n. pl. A group of birds including sparrows and all the higher birds.

Pas´serine, a. Sparrow-like. Belonging to the group of Passeres.

Patel´la, n. Knee-pan; knee-cap. Sesamoid bone of knee-joint.

Pat´ent, a. Open.

Pathol´ogy, n. Physiology of disease.

Pec´ten, n. Same as Marsupium (which see).

Pec´tinate, Pec´tinated, a. Having tooth-like projections, like those of a comb.

Pectina´tion, n. Comb-like toothing.

Pec´toral, a. Pertaining to the breast. The pectoral muscles of birds, three in number, are the principal ones in point of bulk in most birds; they move the wing as a whole.

Pec´tus, n. Breast. (62.) Anterior portion of lower part of trunk, between jugulum and abdomen; properly, the region overlying and containing the breast-bone, but generally restricted to the more forward swelling portion of such region.

Pe´des, n.; pl. of pes. Feet. (96.) Leg beyond the end of the tibia.

Ped´icel, n. Narrow foot-stalk or stem by which an organ is attached. Same as peduncle.

Pelag´ic, a. Frequenting the high seas.

Pel´licle, n. Any very delicate membrane.

Pel´ma, n. The track; entire lower surface of the toes. (114.)

Pel´vic, a. Pertaining to the pelvis.

Pel´vis, n. Cavity of the body formed by the ossa innominata, sacrum, and coccyx; also, these bones collectively.

Pe´nial, a. Pertaining to the penis.

Penicil´late, a. Brushy-tipped.

Pe´nis, n. The male intromittent organ.

Pen´na, n. A feather. Generally a contour-feather (pluma), as distinguished from a down-feather (plumula); particularly, a large stiff feather of the wing or tail, one of the remiges or rectrices.

Penna´ceous, a. Denoting a perfect feather complete in all the parts a feather can have; distinguished from plumulaceous.

Pen´niform, a. Noting a muscle whose fibres are arranged alongside of a central tendon, like the web of a feather.

Per´forate, a. Pierced through. (Said especially of the nostrils when without a septum.)

Pericar´dium, n. Bag holding the heart.

Pericra´nium, n. Soft parts enclosing the skull; especially the periosteum of the bones.

Perios´teum, n. Membranous investment of bone.

Peripheral Parts, n. pl. Superficial, as opposed to interior, parts.

Periph´ery, n. Superficies; contour.

Peristal´tic, a. Denoting the peculiar motion of the intestines by which their contents are urged onward; the peristole.

Peritone´um, n. Thin smooth serous membrane lining the belly, and investing most of the contained organs.

Perone´al, a. Pertaining to the fibula.

Perone´us, a. for n. Name of a fibular muscle.

Per´vious, a. Open. Used synonymously with perforate in respect of the nostrils, but better restricted to the opposite of impervious or closed (as to an external opening).

Pes, n.; pl. pedes (which see). Foot. (96.)

Pes´sulus, n. Cross-bone of the syrinx; bony bar across lower end of windpipe, at point of forking into the bronchi.

Petro´sal, a. (Used substantively.) Same as petrous.

Pe´trous, a. Stony; hence, hard. The petrous bone is an element of the temporal bone.

Pha´lanx, n.; pl. phalan´ges. Commonly any bone of a finger or toe. Equivalent to internode or joint (not articulation). Properly in such application lacking the singular number, phalanges being the row or series of the small digital bones, taken collectively. (120.)

Pharynge´al, a. Pertaining to the pharynx.

Phar´ynx, n. Back compartment of the mouth, leading directly into the œsophagus.

Phren´ic, n. Pertaining to the diaphragm.

Phys´ical, a. Bodily; material. Opposed to mental or psychical.

Physiog´nomy, n. Countenance, in respect to temper of mind; general appearance, in respect to habits.

Physiol´ogy, n. Science of animal or vegetable economy; science of bodily functions, processes, operations. It is less comprehensive than biology, or the science of life, as it takes account only of material or physical, not psychical, offices.

Pi´a Ma´ter, n. Soft vascular membrane immediately investing the brain.

Pi´cine, a. Woodpecker-like.

Pictu´ra, n. Pattern of coloring.

Pig´ment, n. Coloring-matter.

Pil´eus (also written pileum), n. The cap; top of head from base of bill to nape. (30.)

Pin´eal Body, n. A small organ associated with the brain.

Pin´ion, n. Part of the wing beyond the wrist exclusive of the feathers; usually the metacarpus and phalanges; the hand bone. Not technically used synonymously with quill or wing.

Pin´nated, a. Having little wing-like tufts of feathers on the neck.

Pin´niform, a. An epithet of the penguin’s wing; fin-like.

Pisciv´orous, a. Fish-eating.

Pitu´itary, a. That secretes mucus. Pituitary membrane, the mucous membrane of the nasal passages. Pituitary gland, a certain appendage of the brain.

Pla´ga, n. Stripe of color.

Plan´ta, a. Back of tarsus, homologically the sole. (106.)

Plan´tar, a. Pertaining to the sole. A certain muscle is the plantaris.

Plan´tigrade, a. Walking on the back of the tarsus as well as on the soles of the toes. Many pygopodous birds are plantigrade.

Plas´ma, n. Colorless fluid of the blood.

Plas´tic, a. That may be moulded. Forming or serving to form; histogenetic. Plastic force. See Nisus Formativus.

Pleu´ra, n. Membrane lining the thorax and investing the lungs.

Pleurapoph´ysis, n. Segment of the hæmal arch next to the centrum. The vertebral rib of a bird is a pleurapophysis.

Plex´us, n. Union in network of nerves, vessels, or fibres. Said especially of the anastomosis of nerves.

Pli´ca Ala´ris, or Pli´ca Preala´ris, n. The feathered fold of skin on the front border of the wing stretched by an elastic tendon from the shoulder to the wrist, rendering the smooth straight anterior border of the wing. (Plica alaris is rarely used for the fold or bend of the wing.)

Pli´ca Interdigita´lis, n. Webbing between the toes. Same as palama.

Pli´cæ Primiti´væ, n. pl. Primitive folds; certain parallel lines observed in the early embryonal trace.

Plu´ma, n. A feather in general. Compare Penna and Plumula. (1.) A feather of which the two webs are equal and alike is called isopogonous: otherwise anisopogonous.

Plu´mage, n. The feathers, collectively; Ptilosis (which see).

Plum´beous, a. Having the color of tarnished lead; dull bluish-gray.

Plum´iped, a. Having the feet feathered.

Plu´mose, Plu´mous, a. Feathery; in general, having feathers; feathered. Compare Pennaceous and Plumulaceous.

Plu´mula, n. A down feather, lacking certain qualities and parts of a penna.

Plumula´ceous, n. Downy. Compare Pennaceous.

Pneumat´ic, a. Relating to the respiratory system; permeated with air.

Pneumogas´tric, a. Pertaining to lungs and belly; a name of the most extensive cranial nerve.

Podarth´rum, n. Foot-joint; the articulation of the toes collectively with the metatarsus. (100.)

Po´dium, n. Foot. (Same as pes.) Generally used, however, for the toes collectively without the shank. (112.)

Podothe´ca, n. Whole envelope of tarsus and toes. (101.)

Pogo´nium, n.; pl. pogonia. Web or vanes of a feather. (147.) Pogonium externum, outer web (farthest from middle line of the body). Pogonium internum, inner web. See Pluma.

Pol´lex, n. Thumb. The joint which bears the alula is so called, though it is homologous with the index or second finger. Spina pollicaris, or Tuberculum pollicare, the horny spur on the wing of some birds.

Polyg´amous, a. Mating with more than one female, like the domestic cock.

Polymor´phic, n. Of many forms; consisting of, or containing, several different types of structure: as, a polymorphic group.

Polymy´oid, a. Having numerous syringeal muscles; noting a group equivalent to Oscines.

Polyno´mial, n. or a. Name of more than two words. Consisting of several words. The polynomial nomenclature is obsolete.

Polyto´kous, a. Multiparous; producing many young.

Pons, n. Bridge. Certain parts of the brain.

Poplite´al, a. Pertaining to the back of the knee.

Por´tal Circula´tion. Passage of blood from the capillaries of one organ to those of another, as is conspicuous in certain of the digestive viscera.

Postax´ial, a. Situate on the external or posterior (ulnar or fibular) side of a limb.

Poste´rior Portion. (8.) See Uræum.

Posterior Toe. (125.) The hind-toe, or that one directed backward, is generally the hallux; often also the fourth or outer; rarely the second or inner. The hallux is generally meant by posterior toe.

Postor´bital, a. Situate behind the eye.

Pow´der-down Feath´ers, n. pl. Peculiar imperfect feathers, in a matted patch, which grow continually, and as constantly break down, with a scurfy exfoliation, and pervaded with a greasy substance; they are especially conspicuous in the heron tribe, but are also found elsewhere.

Præax´ial, a. Situate on the internal or anterior (radial or tibial) side of a limb.

Præco´ces, n. pl. An obsolete group of birds, able to run about and feed themselves at birth.

Præco´cial, n. Belonging to the Præcoces; having the nature of Præcoces.

Præpec´tus, n. Fore-breast; region of the craw. Not well distinguished from jugulum.

Premax´illary (bone), a. The foremost and principal bone of the upper jaw. Intermaxillary is synonymous.

Prep´uce, n. Foreskin. The homologous structure occurs in some birds. Preputial, pertaining to the foreskin.

Pressiros´tral, a. Having a bill like that of a plover. (Obsolete.)

Prester´num, n. Anterior segment of the breast-bone.

Pri´mary, n.; pl. primaries. Any one of the (usually ten, often nine, rarely eleven) large stiff quills growing upon the pinion or hand-bone, as distinguished from the secondaries which grow upon the forearm. They form the tip of the wing, and much of its surface.

Pri´mary Wing-coverts, n. pl. Those overlying the bases of the primaries.

Proce´res or Pro´ceri, n. pl. Same as Ratitæ (which see).

Prolig´erous, a. See Yolk.

Prona´tion, n. A particular movement of the radius upon the ulna, by which the hand turns over,—in birds it is very slight, if it occur at all. The reverse movement is termed supination. The muscles effecting it are pronators and supinators.

Proöt´ic, a. for n. An element of the auditory capsule.

Prosenceph´alon, n. A certain tract of the brain, the third from behind.

Pro´toplasm, n. Primitive common embryonic tissue, out of which different organs and parts are formed.

Protover´tebræ, n. pl. First trace of the backbones.

Protrac´tile, Protru´sile, a. Susceptible of being thrust forward or out, as the tongue of most woodpeckers.

Proventric´ulus, n. Part of gullet, usually enlarged, next to gizzard, having solvent glands for digestion. It is the true stomach of a bird, as distinguished from the gizzard or grinding stomach.

Prox´imal, a. Proximate; nearest or next to any centre or axis. Opposed to distal or terminal.

Psilopæ´des, n. pl. A group of psilopædic birds, further distinguished by being born weak and helpless, fed and reared in the nest. The term gymnopædes is synonymous.

Psilopæ´dic, a. Having down growing only from the future pterylæ, as the precursor of the future plumage, to which it is subsequently affixed for a while and then falls off.

Pso´as, n. Name of certain pelvic muscles.

Pterapoph´ysis, n. Certain process of cranial bones.

Pter´na, n. Heel-pad. (115.)

Ptero´mata, n. pl. (This word is of uncertain meaning.) (89 ?)

Pter´ygoid (bone), n. A slender bone connecting the quadrate with the palatine.

Pter´yla, n.; pl. pterylæ. Area or tract on the skin where feathers grow.

Pterylog´raphy, n. A description of the plumage, especially with reference to the distribution of the feathers on the skin.