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

Mem´brana Putam´inis, n. The lining membrane of the egg-shell, formed of dense modified albumen.

Mem´brane, n. Thin soft sheet of various structure covering a part or organ. Cerebral or spinal membrane. See Meninges. Nictitating membrane, the third or inner eyelid of birds, which sweeps across the ball. Soft skinny covering of the bill of many birds is said to be membranous. Webbing of the toes is the interdigital membrane. Loma is a fringed membrane.

Mem´brum, n.; pl. membra. Any limb, or other peripheral part, as a bill, as distinguished from body proper or truncus.

Menin´ges, n. pl. Envelopes of the brain or spinal cord; especially the dura mater and pia mater. (The singular, meninx, is scarcely used.)

Men´tal, a. Pertaining to the chin.

Men´tum, n. Chin; soft parts between the branches of the lower jaw.

Mesenceph´alon, n. A certain brain-tract, the second from behind.

Mesenter´ic, a. Pertaining to the mesentery.

Mes´entery, n. A fold of the peritoneum binding the intestines in place.

Mesera´ic, a. Same as Mesenteric (which see).

Me´sial, a. In the middle; same as median.

Meso- (in composition). Middle; median.

Mesomet´rium, n. Partially muscular peritoneal fold supporting the oviduct.

Mesorhi´nium, n. Portion of bill between the nostrils. (Little used.)

Mesoster´num, n. Middle segment of the breast-bone.

Metacar´pal, a. or n. Pertaining to the metacarpus; particularly the metacarpal bone.

Metacar´pus, n. Hand, exclusive of the fingers; segment of the wing between the carpus and the digits.

Metagnath´ous, a. Cross-billed; having the points of the mandibles passing each other on the right and left.

Metatar´sal, a. Pertaining to the metatarsus; particularly the metatarsal bone.

Metatar´sus, n. Foot, exclusive of the toes; segment of the leg between the tarsus and the digits, commonly called the shank, and in descriptive ornithology usually known as the tarsus. The metatarsus, however, has a distal tarsal ossicle confluent with it, so that it is actually tarso-metatarsus. In birds, the metatarsus proper (exclusive of the confluent tarsal bone) consists of three parallel metatarsal bones, more or less completely confluent, and of the associated accessory metatarsal bone which bears the hallux. Compare Tarsus.

Metatar´sus Hal´lucis, n. The accessory metatarsal bone, as just said.

Mid´dle Toe, n. The third toe in order of reckoning, with few exceptions four-jointed. When the fourth toe is reversed, as in all zygodactyle birds except trogons, it becomes the outer anterior toe; in trogons, and a few birds in which the true inner or second toe is wanting, it becomes the inner anterior toe. It is never versatile. It rarely has only three joints, like the second toe. (128.)

Mid´dle Wing-cov´erts, or Me´dian Cov´erts. The series of upper coverts of the secondary set, situate in one or more rows between the greater and lesser coverts. They are usually recognized by their overlapping each other in the reverse direction (i.e. inner border of one overlapping outer border of the next one) from the others, whence they are sometimes called tectrices perversæ. (94.)

Migra´tion, n. Periodical (but sometimes irregular) journeyings, or change of abode, of birds at certain seasons, to secure food, climate, or other physical conditions of environment best suited to their wants. Migration is generally meridional (north-south), and believed by some to be mainly accomplished along a magnetic meridian; but it is often quite otherwise, influenced by topography, etc., or altogether capricious. In the Northern Hemisphere, the vernal migration is northward, the autumnal in the opposite direction.

Mime´sis, n. Mimicry; mocking; simulated resemblance in voice, shape, color, etc.

Mimet´ic, a. Imitative; given to mimicry. Mimetic analogy, simulated resemblance in superficial respects, such as many insects bear to the twigs or leaves they rest upon.

Mir´ror, n. See Speculum. (82.)

Mol´ecule, n. Embryo part of the impregnated ovum. See Cicatriculum.

Mol´lipilose, a. Softly downy.

Monog´amous, a. Pairing; mating with a single one of the opposite sex. Birds of which the male assists in incubation and care of the young are called doubly monogamous.

Monog´amy, n. The paired state.

Monomor´phic, a. Of the same or essentially similar type of structure. Opposed to polymorphic.

Monoto´kous, a. Uniparous; laying a single egg.

Mon´ster, n. Any malformed animal.

Morphol´ogy, n. The science of form. The doctrine of the laws of form. Structure itself, considered as to its principles; e.g. the morphology of the odontoid process of the axis is centrum of the atlas, the morphological interpretation of the tibial condyles is tarsal ossicles. The segment called metatarsus is, morphologically, tarso-metatarsus. Homology rests upon morphology; analogy is generally predicable upon teleology.

Mor´sus Diabol´icus, n. An epithet of the infundibuliform orifice of the oviduct which takes in the ova.

Mucip´arous, a. Producing mucus.

Mu´cous Mem´brane, n. Lining of the alimentary and other interior tracts of the body, secreting mucus.

Mu´cro, n. A sharp spine.

Mu´cronate, a. Spine-tipped, as the tail of a swift.

Mu´cus, n. Peculiar secretion of the mucous membrane.

Multif´idus, a. for n. A certain spinal muscle.

Multip´arous, a. Producing many young.

Mus´cle, n. (musculus, pl. musculi). Organ of animal motion, consisting of contractile fibre, the shortening of which draws upon attached parts. With the muscular tissue is usually associated a fibrous ligament, the tendon or “leader.” Voluntary muscles have striped fibre, contracting at will of the animal; such are all those of the general system, moving the bones, effecting locomotion, mastication, etc. Involuntary muscles mostly have plain fibre contractile under special stimuli without obedience to the will; such are those of the intestines, etc.

Mus´cular, a. Pertaining to muscle; having muscle or composed of muscle; resulting from muscle: as, muscular fibre, muscular organ, muscular exertion. Also, strong, vigorous: the falcon is a muscular bird.

Mu´ticus, a. Unarmed; as, a toe without a claw, an unspurred tarsus. (133.)

Myelenceph´alon, n. Whole cerebro-spinal column.

My´elon, n. The spinal cord.

Myolem´ma, n. Sheath of muscular fibre.

Myol´ogy, n. Doctrine or description of the muscles.

Myx´a, n. End of the mandible, as far as the symphysis, corresponding to the dertrum of the maxilla. (25).

N

Nan´us, a. or n. Dwarf; pigmy.

Nape, n. (49.) See Nucha.

Nar´is, n.; pl. nares. Nostril (always paired). (28½.) The external nares open upon the bill, or its cere, in very various shape and position; the internal nares open slit-wise upon the back part of the palate.

Na´sal, a. Pertaining to the nostrils. Nasal bones, a pair at the root of the upper mandible.

Nas´cent, a. About being born; beginning to grow or exist.

Nata´tion, n. Act of swimming.

Natato´res, n. pl. A group of swimming-birds.

Natato´rial, a. Capable of swimming; belonging to swimming-birds.

Nearc´tic, a. Indigenous to the northern portion of the Western Hemisphere.

Nebula´ted, a. Clouded with various indistinct colors.

Neck, n. (47.) See Collum.

Neogæ´an, n. Indigenous to the Western Hemisphere or “New World.”

Neos´sine, n. Substance of the “edible birds’-nests.”

Neossol´ogy, n. Study of young birds.

Neotrop´ical, a. Indigenous to the tropical portion of the Western Hemisphere.

Ner´vine, n. Nerve substance.

Neu´ral, a. Pertaining to nerves. Neural canal, the tube of the backbone. Neural spine, the so-called spinous process of a vertebra. Neural axis, cerebro-spinal axis. Neural arch, see Neurapophysis.

Neurapoph´ysis, n. The laminate process of a vertebra, which, meeting its fellow at the neural spine, closes the canal for transmission of the spinal cord.

Neurilem´ma, n. Sheath of nerve fibre.

Neurol´ogy, n. Study of the nerves.

Nic´titating Mem´brane, n. The third or inner eyelid of birds.

Nidifica´tion, n. Nest-building; mode of nesting.

Ni´dus, n. Nest.

Ni´sus Formati´vus, n. The formative tendency; the unknown law which determines the rudiment of an animal to take its proper shape, “each after its kind.” “Plastic force.”

Node, No´dus, n. A swelling; hence, a joint, as bones usually enlarge at their articulating extremities. Compare Internode.

Nomen´clature, n. The sum of the words or terms peculiar to any department of knowledge; as, ornithological nomenclature; in this sense equivalent to terminology. Also, the naming of objects according to some fixed principle; as, the binomial nomenclature. It is essential to the integrity of nomenclature that it should rest upon classification, or taxonomy.

Non-. Not. A frequent prefix in scientific literature, denoting negation, used much like dis-, un-, in-, etc.

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.)