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

Pterylo´sis, n. Plumage, considered with reference to its distribution on the skin.

Pti´la, n. (This word is of uncertain meaning.) (86 ?)

Ptilopæ´des, n. pl. Ptilopædic birds. Such are generally able to run about at birth, or at least to feed themselves. Dasypædes is synonymous.

Ptilopæ´dic, a. Clothed at birth with floccus, which sprouts not only from the future pterylæ, but also from apteria.

Ptilo´sis, n. Plumage. (3.)

Pu´bic, a. Pertaining to the pubis.

Pu´bis, n. The most anterior bone of the pelvis. In birds the ossa pubis or pubes are separate, there being no pubic symphysis, and directed more or less backward.

Pul´lus, n. A chick; young bird, before its first complete plumage.

Pul´monary, a. Pertaining to the lungs; relating to respiration.

Pul´sus, Pulse, n. Beating of the arteries.

Punc´tate, a. Dotted; pitted; studded with points.

Punc´tum Sa´liens, n. First trace of the embryonic heart.

Pupil´la, n. Central black disc circumscribed by the iris; the pupil (a hole, not a substance).

Pupil´lary, a. Pertaining to the pupil.

Pygop´odes, n. pl. A group of birds distinguished by the far backward position, and deep burial, in common integument, of the legs.

Pygop´odous, a. Belonging to Pygopodes, or having the character of that group.

Py´gostyle, n. Last coccygeal vertebra, of peculiar size and shape in recent birds; also called the vomer.

Pylor´ic, a. Pertaining to the pylorus.

Pylo´rus, n. Opening from gizzard into duodenum; especially, valve guarding this orifice.

Pyr´iform, a. Pear-shaped.

Q

Quadran´gular, a. Four-edged or four-angled.

Quad´rate, a. Squared.

Quad´rate Bone, n. See Os Quadratum. A peculiarly shaped bone interposed between the lower jaw and the rest of the skull.

Quadrilat´eral, a. Four-sided.

Quadriloc´ular, a. Four-chambered, as the heart of higher vertebrates is.

Quar´ry, n. Prey of raptorial birds.

Quill, n. See Penna. (2, 75, 76, 145.)

Qui´nary, a. Noting a certain absurd system of classification which presumes that there are five types, or sets of objects, in every natural group.

Quin´cunx, n. Set of five, arranged thus,

R

Ra´dial, a. Pertaining to the radius.

Ra´dii, n. pl. Barbs of a main feather.

Ra´dii Accesso´rii, n. pl. Barbs of the supplementary feather.

Radio´li, n. pl. Barbules (which see).

Radio´li Accesso´rii, n. pl. Barbules of the supplementary feather, aftershaft or hypoptilum.

Ra´dius, n. Outer bone of forearm.

Ra´mus, n.; pl. rami. Branch or fork. Gnathidea.

Raph´e, n. Line of separation of two parts of an organ when prominent or otherwise distinguished.

Rapto´rial, a. Pertaining to birds of prey.

Rati´tæ, n. pl. Birds with flat sternum, as ostriches, emus or cassowaries, and the apteryx.

Rau´cous, a. Hoarse-voiced.

Rec´trix, n.; pl. rectrices. Quills of the tail. (70.) (The singular is little used.)

Rec´tum, n. Lower straight gut.

Rec´tus, a. Name of certain muscles.

Recurved´, a. Bent regularly and gradually upward.

Reflect´ed, a. Turned backward.

Reflec´tion, n. Play of color changing in different lights.

Reg´imen, n. Diet.

Re´gio, Re´gion, n. Portion of the body in any way distinguished; dorsal region; cervical region.

Re´mex, n.; pl. remiges. Quill of the wing. (75, 76.) (Little used in the singular.)

Re´nal, a. Pertaining to the kidneys.

Re´te, n. Same as plexus.

Retic´ulate, a. Marked with network of lines.

Reticula´tion, n. Network; mosaic.

Ret´ina, n. Expansion of the optic nerve within the eye, upon which images of objects are impressed.

Retrac´tile, a. Susceptible of being drawn back and driven forward as a hawk’s claw.

Retrorse´, a. Directed backward.

Rhach´is, n.; pl. rhachides. Scapus exclusive of calamus; shaft of a feather, bearing the webs, without the hollow horny barrel. (146.) Also, the spinal column.

Rhamphothe´ca, n. Covering of the whole bill. (12.)

Rhi´nal, a. Pertaining to the nose.

Rhinenceph´alon, n. Foremost tract of the brain, the fourth from behind.

Rhinothe´ca, n. Covering of the upper mandible. (13.)

Rhizonych´ium, n. Terminal bone of a toe bearing a claw. (122.) (Little used.)

Rhom´boid, a. Lozenge-shaped. Name of a muscle of the shoulder-blade.

Ric´tus, n. Gape of the mouth.

Ridge, n. Culmen (which see). (20.)

Ri´ma, n. Outline of a slit-like opening.

Ri´ma Glot´tidis, n. Opening of the glottis.

Ri´ma Oris, n. Equivalent to Commissure (which see).

Ros´trum, n. Bill; beak; projecting forepart of head of birds; of two jaws, upper and lower, consisting of a frame of certain bones over which is stretched unfeathered skinny or horny membrane, the rhamphotheca. (9.)

Round´ed (tail), a. Having the central feathers longest, the rest successively gradually and slightly shorter. A tail is double-rounded when, with central feathers shorter than the next, the rest are graduated as before.

Ru´diment, n. A beginning.

Rudimen´tary, a. Undeveloped; imperfectly elaborated; existing only in its beginnings.

Ruff, n. Set of lengthened or otherwise modified or peculiarly colored feathers around the throat or whole neck.

Ru´ga, n. Ridge or raised fold; wrinkle.

Rugose´ or Ru´gous, a. Wrinkled.

Rump, n. Uropygium (which see). (60.)

S

Sac´ral, a. Pertaining to the sacrum.

Sac´rum, n. A compound bone of the spine, composed of several anchylosed vertebræ of the pelvic region, with which the iliac bones are sutured.

Sac´ro-coccyge´al, a. Pertaining to the sacrum considered as comprising also several coccygeal vertebræ.

Sag´ittate, a. Arrow-head shaped; an elongated cordate figure with pointed lobes.

Sali´va, n. Spittle.

Sal´ivary Glands. Organs secreting saliva.

Sal´tatory, a. Progressing by leaps. Opposed to ambulatory or gradient.

San´guis, n. Blood.

Saphe´na, n. Principal vein of the leg.

Sarcolem´ma, n. Same as myolemma.

Sartor´ius, a. Name of a certain muscle of the leg.

Saurop´sida, n. A primary group of vertebrata, comprising birds and reptiles.

Sauru´ræ, n. pl. Name of a certain primary group of Aves formed for the reception of the Archæopteryx.

Scab´rous, a. Scabby; scurfy; scaly. Said of a surface roughened as if in such manner.

Scanso´rial, a. Capable of climbing, as a woodpecker.

Scapholun´ar, n. One of the carpals or wrist-bones.

Scap´ula, n. Shoulder-blade.

Scap´ular, a. Pertaining to the shoulder-blade; as, scapular region.

Scap´ular, n. Any feather of a series growing on the pteryla humeralis, in an oblique line across the humerus. Scapulars is generally said, the plural designating these feathers collectively; they are also called scapularies. (80.) The scapulars fill up what would otherwise be an interval between the inner border of the wing and the body. Illiger’s word, parapterum, seems to designate them, but is also used in an entirely different sense.

Sca´pus, n. Entire stem of a feather; calamus + rachis. (144.)

Schizognath´ous, a. Having the palate bones separated.

Schizorhi´nal, a. Having the nasal bones separated.

Sci´atic, n. Same as ischiatic; pertaining to the ischia.

Scis´sion, n. A cutting apart; fissuration.

Scis´sor-shaped (tail), a. Deeply forficate.

Sclerot´ic, n. Dense opaque fibrous membrane forming most of the eyeball.

Scol´loped, a. Lobed. (137.)

Scolo´pacine, a. Snipe-like.

Scro´tum, n. Bag holding testicles.

Scutel´late, a. Provided with scutella.

Scutel´late Tarsus. (110.)

Scutel´lum, n.; pl. scutella. Scale. Any one of the divisions into which the podotheca may be broken up by regular lines of impression; especially such divisions when large and in regular vertical series; various smaller divisions being called reticulations. Scutella occur especially on the anterior face of the tarsus and top of the toes; often also on the back of the tarsus; sometimes they completely encircle the tarsus. When thus large, some ornithologists call them scuta; then using scutella for the smaller irregular reticulations. Scutella are sometimes obsolete. (Commonly, but erroneously, written scutellæ.) (109.)

Scu´tiform, a. Scalelike.

Scu´tum, n.; pl. scuta. See Scutellum.

Sec´ondary Cov´erts. The smaller wing-feathers growing from the forearm and its region, overlying the bases of the secondary quills. (89.)

Sec´ondary Quills or Sec´ondaries. Quills growing upon the forearm.

Seg´ment, n. A portion specially distinguished. The tarsus is a segment of the leg.

Segmenta´tion, n. Division into parts. Particularly applied to a process which takes place in the vitellus or yolk during incubation.

Sel´la Tur´cica, n. A certain part of the sphenoid bone.

Se´men, n. The male fluid, containing spermatozoa.

Semi- (in composition). Half.

Semilu´nar, a. Crescentic.

Semimembrano´sus, n. A certain muscle of the thigh.

Sem´inal, a. Pertaining to the male generative fluid.

Seminif´erous, a. Secreting or conveying semen.

Semipal´mate, a. Half webbed; having a basal membrane between the front toes not reaching to their ends.

Sem´iplume, n. Feather with pennaceous stem and plumulaceous web.

Semitendino´sus, n. A certain muscle of the thigh.

Se´nile, a. Aged; pertaining to old age.

Sense, n. Faculty of apprehending external impressions; as, sense of sight, hearing.

Sen´sory, a. Relating to the senses.

Sep´tum, n. A partition. Same as Dissepiment.

Se´rous, a. Thin, watery (of fluids).

Ser´rate, a. Toothed, like a saw.

Serra´tus, a. for n. A muscle of the trunk.

Se´rum, n. Watery portion of animal fluids, especially of the blood.

Ses´amoid (bone), n. A small rotund bone situate in the substance of a tendon about a joint.

Ses´sile, a. Seated; i.e. without a stem or peduncle.

Seta´ceous, a. Bristly; bristled.

Se´tæ, n. pl. Bristles.

Se´tiform, a. Bristle-like.

Sex´ual, a. Pertaining to sex.

Sex´us, n. Sex.

Shaft, n. (146.)

Shank, n. Properly, the shin or tibial segment of the leg. In case of birds oftener used, but incorrectly, for the tarsus (tarso-metatarsus).

Shin, n. (98.)

Shoulder, n. (68.)

Sib´ilant, a. Hissing.

Side-neck, n. (64.)

Side of Tarsus, n. (105.)

Side of Toes, n. (119.)

Sig´moid, a. S-shaped. Several parts are so called.

Sign, Sig´num, n. Any character or other arbitrary abbreviation of a word or term.

Prominent among those used in ornithology are: ♂, male; ♀, female; ⚪, juv. young, juvenis; ad., adult; hornot., hornotine; pull., pullus, chick; sen. or sr., senior, senex, old; pt., plumage; nupt. temp., in the breeding season; æst., summer; hyem., winter; vern., spring; aut., autumnal; mus., museum; coll., collection, cabinet; syn., synonym; =, equal to; >, more than; <, less than; +, plus; ×, in a different sense; v., vide, see; cf., confer, consult; i.e. or h.e., that is; l. c., loco citato, in the place just cited; op. cit., the work cited; h. l., hoc loco, here; auct., auctt., author, authors; script., writer; p., page; vol. or t., volume, tome; pl. or tb., plate, tabula; f., or fig., figure; infra, below (reference); supra, above; qu., query; ?, query; !, certainty, from autopsy; err., error; corr., corrigenda; add., addenda; descr., description; id., the same (person); ib. or ibid., there (in the same place); quid? what (may it be)? sc., scilicet, to wit; viz., videlicet, namely; excl., exclusive of; n., nova, novum, new; var., variety; sp., species; gen., genus; fam., family; ord., order; n. sp., n. g., new species, genus. Authors’ names are constantly abbreviated, with the first one, two, or three, or other most characteristic letters.

Sincip´ital, a. Pertaining to the sinciput.

Sin´ciput, n. Anterior half of pileus, from bill to vertex. (32.)

Sinis´trad, a. Toward the left.

Sinistral, a. On the left side.

Si´nus, n. Name of numerous and various cavities of the body.

Skel´eton, n. Sum of the bones of a body. It generally means only the endoskeleton proper, or internal bony framework of the body, as distinguished from exoskeleton or dermoskeleton.

Sole, n. (106.)

Soles of Toes, n. (118.)

So´leus, n. A muscle of the leg.

Spat´ulate, a. Spoon-shaped; contracted near the end, where enlarged.

Spe´cies, n. Aggregate of individuals related by genetic succession without notable change of physical characters.

Specif´ic, a. Of, or relating to, a species; as, specific name, specific character.

Spec´ulum, n. Mirror; brightly colored area on the secondaries, especially of ducks.

Sperm, n. The secretion of the testicles; same as semen.

Spermat´ic, a. Pertaining to semen, or to the organs concerned in its production and emission.

Spermatozo´a, n. pl. Essence of the male seed.

Sphe´noid (bone), n. A compound bone of the skull, constituting much of the second cranial segment.

Sphenoid´al, n. Relating to the sphenoid.

Sphinc´ter, n. An annular muscle constricting or closing a natural orifice; especially, sphincter ani.

Spi´nal, a. Relating to the backbone.

Spina´lis, a. for n. Name of a certain muscle of the back.

Spine, n. Backbone. Also, any sharp projecting point of bone or horn.

Spinose´ or Spi´nous, a. Sometimes said of a mucronate feather.

Splanch´nic, a. Visceral.

Splanchnol´ogy, n. Science or study of the viscera.

Spleen, n. A deep red, soft, spongy, ductless and extremely vascular, abdominal organ of uncertain function.

Sple´nial, a. Name of a certain element of the mandible.

Sple´nius, a. for n. A certain cervical muscle.

Spur, n. (108.)

Spu´rious, a. False; bastard; imperfect; rudimentary.

Spu´rious Quill, n. The first primary, when rudimentary or very short.

Spu´rious Wing, n. Feathers growing on the so-called thumb of birds.

Squam´ous, a. Scaly.

Sta´pes, n. One of the auditory ossicles; the stirrup-bone, becoming the columella in Sauropsida.

Steganop´odous, a. Having all four toes full-webbed. (141.)

Stel´late, a. Starred.

Stem, n. (144.) See Scapus.

Ster´ile, a. Unfruitful; infecund; barren; noting the condition of the female corresponding to impotence of the male.

Ster´nal, a. Relating to the breast-bone.

Ster´num, n. Breast-bone.

Stethiæ´um, n. Entire anterior half of a bird. (7.) (Little used.)

Stig´ma, n. See Calyx.

Stip´ula, n. Newly sprouted feather.

Sto´ma, n. Mouth.

Strag´ulum, n. Mantle; back and folded wings taken together. Same as pallium. (61.) (Little used.)

Stra´tum, n. Layer.

Streak, n. Lengthwise color-mark; not so strong, firm, or large as stripe.

Stri´a, n.; pl. striæ. Stripe; streak.

Stri´ate, a. Striped; streaked.

Stri´dent, a. Shrill.

Strig´ine, a. Owl-like; belonging to the Strigidæ.

Stripe, n. A long, strong, sharp streak.

Stro´ma, n. Essential texture of any organ.

Stru´thious, a. Ostrich-like.

Sty´loid or Sty´liform, a. Shaped like a peg or pin.

Sub- (in composition). Under; less than; not quite; somewhat; slightly so. Sub- diminishes the force, point, or extent of application of a term.

Sub-ba´sal, a. Near the base.

Sub-class, n. An intermediate group often recognized between class and order, of less taxonomic value than the former.

Subcla´vian, a. Beneath the clavicle.

Subfam´ily, n. A group between a family and a genus.

Subge´nus, n. A group between a genus and a species. (Often used; of extremely indefinite value.)

Submax´illary, a. or n. Under the jaw. Also, equivalent to inferior maxillary or mandible.

Subscap´ular, a. or n. Under the shoulder-blade; name of a muscle.

Subtyp´ical, a. Not quite true to the type; deviating somewhat; slightly aberrant. It expresses a condition between typical and aberrant.

Sub´ulate, a. Awl-shaped.

Suffra´go, n. The tibio-tarsal joint; the heel-joint. (103.)

Suffu´sion, n. A “running” shade of color.

Sul´cate, a. Grooved or channelled.

Sul´cus, n. A groove or channel.

Su´per- (in composition). Over; above; beyond; more than. The opposite qualification of sub-.

Supercil´iary, a. Pertaining to region of eyebrow, as a streak of color over the eye.

Supercil´ium, n. Eyebrow. (43.)

Super-fam´ily, n. A group containing one or more families, yet not of ordinal rank.

Superfic´ies, n. The exterior in general.

Supe´rior, a. Lying over, above, or uppermost.

Superoccip´ital, a. for n. The superior element of the occipital bone.

Super-or´der, n. A group containing one or more orders, yet not of the taxonomic rank of a class. (N. B. Super-genus is a word not yet used.)

Supina´tor, n. Name of a muscle that effects, or tends to effect, the reverse movement of pronation (which see).

Supra- (in composition). Same as super-.

Supracil´iary, a. See Supraorbital.

Supra-occip´ital, a. for n. Superior element of the occipital bone.

Supraor´bital, a. Situate over the orbit.

Supra-renal (body), a. for n. See Adrenal.

Suran´gular, a. Name of a certain element of the mandible.

Sur´sum. Over; above.

Su´ture, n. A kind of immovable articulation.

Sym´bol, n. See Sign.

Sympathetic System (of nerves). That portion of the nervous system not belonging to the cerebro-spinal axis.

Sym´physis, n. A growing together; as, symphysis pubis, symphysis menti.

Synarthro´sis, n. Same as suture.

Synchondro´sis, n. Cartilaginous union or articulation.

Syndac´tyle or Syndac´tylous, a. Having two toes immovably coherent for a considerable distance.

Syngne´sious (foot), a. Same as syndactyle foot.

Syn´onym, n.; pl. syn´onyms or synon´yma. A different word of the same or similar meaning. Archæopteryx macrurus, Owen, is a synonym of Arch. lithographica, Meyer. Synonym is the converse of homonym, which is the same word, of different meanings. Thus, Sylvicola, Swainson, a bird, is a homonym of Sylvicola, Humphreys, a mollusk. (Also written synonyme.)

Synon´ymous, a. Expressing the same meaning in different terms. (Synonymical is also written, but rarely.) (Also written synonomous.)

Synon´ymy, n. A collection of synonyms. In this sense, synonymy is a burden and a disgrace to ornithology. Also, in the abstract, expression of the same meaning by different words. (Also written synonomy.)

Syno´via, n. The peculiar glairy fluid which lubricates joints. So, synovial fluid; synovial membrane.

Syn´thesis, n. Act of putting together this and that fact or observation, whence to deduce a generalization; opposed to analysis. Also, merely composition.

Syringe´al, a. Pertaining to the lower larynx.

Sy´rinx, n. The lower larynx, situate at the bottom of the trachea, at the fork of the bronchi. The vocal organ of birds.

Sys´tole, n. Contraction of the heart, urging on the blood. Opposed to diastole (which see).

T

Tac´tile, a. Pertaining to the sense of touch.

Tail, n. (69.) See Cauda.

Tail-cov´erts, n. pl. (71.) See Calypteria.

Tail-feathers, n. pl. (70.) See Rectrices.

Ta´lus, n. Same as Calcaneus (which see).

Tar´sal, a. Relating to the tarsus, or tarso-metatarsus.

Tar´so-metatar´sus, n. The morphologically correct term for the segment, commonly called the tarsus in descriptive ornithology,—that bone reaching from the tibia to the toes, and which is really nearly all metatarsus, but has at its top one of the small tarsal bones confluent with it, so that in itself it comprehends part of tarsus as well as all of metatarsus.

Tar´sus, n. The ankle-bones, collectively. In birds, there are no persistently separate tarsal bones, since the two proximal ones are confluent with the extremity of the tibia, forming 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. See, also, Tarso-metatarsus and Metatarsus. (103½.) (N. B. In the foregoing “Explanation,” etc., the word tarsus is defined as used in descriptions, not in its morphologically correct sense.)

Tar´sus, Back of. (106.) See Planta Tarsi.

Tar´sus, Booted. (111.) See Boot.

Taxider´my, a. Art of preparing and preserving skins so as to represent the appearance of the living animal.

Taxonom´ic, a. Classificatory.