| OCR Text |
Show 186 MR. J, G. GOODCHILD ON THE [^Pr> ^, In dealing with the various modifications, I propose to take the birds as nearly as possible in the order adopted by Dr. Sclater in the Eighth Edition of the ' List of Vertebrated Animals now or lately living in the Gardens of the Zoological Society of London.' Fig. 1. Illustrations of the terms used in the following description, as shown by the feathers of the Cubital Region in the Golden Plover. 1 to 1'. Posterior Border. 2 to 2'. Anterior Border. 2' to 1'. Proximal End. 2 to 1. Distal Edge of the Cubital Region (shown by the thicker line). A. Cubital Remiges. B. Greater Wing-coverts. C. Supplementary row of Median Coverts, or Upper Wing-coverts. D. Posterior row of Median Wing-coverts. E. Second row. F. Third row. The Posterior row of Median Coverts from D, near the Carpal joint, shows Proximal Overlap as far as the point marked with a small cross. Distal Overlap is shown by the mode of imbrication of the Greater Wing-coverts. The Passerine style of imbrication represents one extreme of the range of modification observable, and is well exemplified by the wing of Turdus merula (fig. 2). In this the median coverts consist of a single uninterrupted row of feathers, whose free edges are regularly directed backwards along a curve extending from near the carpal joint towards a point near the elbow. The same figure shows also one of the simplest arrangements of the Lesser Cubital Coverts. Such an arrangement as obtains in the Blackbird may be traced, with modifications of only minor importance, through some thousands of |
