THE FEATHER MAN 229 



notice carefully, the whole of this bird's bill is 

 black. A Pewee has the lower mandible yellow. 

 This is a Phoebe." 



*'So it is," Shan admitted. **I've got Phoebe 

 eggs, too. Have you, sir?" 



''No," the Feather Man replied; ''I'll leave the 

 egg-collecting of this neighborhood to you. Every 

 ornithologist has his own side of the work. My 

 specialty is feathers." 



"Feathers!" exclaimed the boy in surprise; 

 "aren't all feathers just about the same?" 



The other frowned at him. 



"Don't begin our acquaintance by making me 

 think you a fool," he said, abruptly. "You know 

 better than that. Think of tail feathers, for a 

 minute. What are the tail feathers of Chimney 

 Swifts like?" 



"They've got spikes on the end," said Shan. 



"And the Woodpecker's?" 



"Stiff, but without a spine; more like those of 

 the Brown Creeper." 



" I 'm glad to find you can use your eyes a little, ' ' 

 came a more satisfied reply. "Your first remark 

 about feathers didn't suggest it. What do most 

 birds use their tails for?" 



"To fly with, "said Shan. 



