159 



MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 



Art. I. Retrospective Criticism. 



Corrections. — In Vol. V. p. 753. line 15. from bottom, 

 for "1800," read "1830." 



In Vol. VI. p. 76. line 15. and p. 77. line 1. for "Oc- 

 tober," read " September." — W. B. C. 



On Birds dressing their Feathers with Oil from a Gland. 

 (Vol. V. p. 412. 588.)— Mr. Waterton doubts (Vol. V. 

 p. 413.) if the small nipple on the rump of birds is an oil 

 gland, or that birds ever oil their feathers with matters 

 obtained from it ; and he asks if any naturalist will say that 

 he has ever witnessed this process ; and, if so, how it is that 

 the bird contrives to take this oil in its bill, and how it 

 manages to oil its head and neck ? I beg to state what I 

 think I have witnessed, and trust to Mr. Waterton's forbear- 

 ance if I am in error : yet I cannot help suspecting that 

 Mr. Waterton's queries are (like those of Charles the 

 Second's to the Royal Society) more for the purpose of 

 laughing at our ignorance, than from any wish he has to 

 obtain information ; for I can scarcely suppose that so acute 

 an observer can have failed to perceive every thing per- 

 ceptible on the point at issue. I have just witnessed a Mus- 

 covy duck perform the operation of pruning and dressing its 

 feathers ; and it certainly appears obvious enough to me that 

 this bird uses the gland on the rump for the purpose for which 

 birds are generally supposed to use it. The duck erected 

 the feathers on the rump so as to exhibit the gland very dis- 

 tinctly, and then, after pressing it with the bill, rubbed the 

 under mandible and chin, down to the throat, upon it ; and 

 then, after drawing some of the feathers through the bill, 

 rubbed the lower mandible and chin upon the back and sca- 

 pulars, apparently to apply the oil which adhered to them; 

 and then, turning its head back, it rubbed the crown and sides 

 of the head and the neck upon those parts which it had pre- 

 viously rubbed with the chin and under mandible. By this 

 rubbing of the head and neck, it is easy to perceive how birds 

 can oil these parts, if it be allowed that birds oil themselves at 

 all. I cannot see how we can explain this action in birds in 



