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_.