Ornithological and Other Oddities 



first place, the pomatum-pot formed by the oil- 

 gland, almost the only skin-gland, by the way, 

 which birds possess. This is a heart-shaped 

 mass situated on the upper surface of the root 

 of the tail, and ending in a small pimple, often 

 tufted with feathers, and exuding a buttery secre- 

 tion with which the bird anoints its plumage. 

 As might be expected, it is particularly well 

 developed in water-fowl, and every one must 

 have seen the duck assiduously oiling its hair 

 by rubbing its head on the root of its tail. 

 But it is unusually copious in secretion in some 

 land birds also ; the great concave-casqued horn- 

 bill (Dichoceros bicornis) owes the yellow colour 

 on its neck and some of the wing-feathers to 

 the very free supply it has of this natural 

 brilliantine, which it assiduously applies every 

 day when making its toilet. This staining 

 power of the secretion is quite exceptional, as 

 is also any odour attaching to it ; but in the 

 Muscovy drake it sometimes, at all events, is 

 perfumed with musk, and in the sitting female 

 and nestlings of the hoopoe it is credited with 

 exhaling the horrible smell which gives this 

 pretty bird its evil name in French and German 

 proverbs. 



The most curious fact about the oil-gland is 

 that many birds get on perfectly well without 



one. Among these are the Amazon parrots and 



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