THE GAiNARY'S PLUMAGE AND MOULTING 



149 



generally spcakino-. have less colour. The 

 greater iving-cmmis, which lie under the 

 lesser ones, and are still larger and stronger, 

 stretch a considerable way over the 

 quills or flying feathers, and are sujiports 

 to these for a greater part of their length 

 than the lesser coverts. They are also 

 nnicli stronger in ]5ro}iortion to the coverts 

 which answer to them on the under sides 

 of the wings. The primaries, or principal 

 quills, which form the termination of 

 the wings are the strongest feathers in 

 the bird. They rise from the hand, or 

 that position of the wings which is below 

 the wrist- joint, and which, though it 

 sometimes contains three ilistinct bones 

 in its length, is frequently called the 

 first bone of the wing. These feathers 

 are niniibered in order ; the outer one, 

 or that which is foremost in the ex- 

 panded, or lowest in the closetl wing, 

 is the first. The xeeoudaries, or second 

 quills of the wing, arise from that part 

 of the wing which is commonly called the 

 second bone, and which answers to the 

 forearm in man. They come from it 

 towards the wrist-joint, and admit of a 

 folding of the wing between them and 

 the primaries, when the wing is closed. 

 \A'hcn the wing is open they sometimes 

 appear a combination of the same cui've 

 with the ]M'imaries, ' as is the case in the 

 wing of the C'anarj',' and at other times 

 they form a distinct curve of their own. 

 And the lertiaries, or third qiulls of the 

 wing, arising chiefly from the same bones 

 as the secondaries, but nearer to the 

 elbow- joint. 



" From the manner in which the several 

 coverts support each other, and the quills, 

 the wing is a finer combination of lightness, 

 strength, elasticity, and stiffness than 

 could be produced by any other means. 

 These coverts suj^iJort and admit of motion 

 upon each other, not unlike that which 

 takes place in a coach-spring." 



Continuing the description of the re- 

 maining portion of the feathers, we have 

 the " Rump-jeathers and upper lail-coverfs, 

 the first being a continuation of the covering 

 of the back, and the second the support 



of the tail-feafiiers on the upper side, 

 being strong in proportion as the tail- 

 feathers are adapted for action in fl>ing ; 

 the vent-jeathers and under tail-coverts, which 

 cover the hinder part of the bird ; and 

 lastly the tail-jeathers. which require no 

 reference beyond saying how well NatiuT 

 has ordered everything for use, in that 

 the tail and longest wing feathers have 

 by far the strongest stems to enable them 

 to carry out the work intended for them, 

 the wings for flight, and the tail as a rudder, 

 " The other feathers arc to be considered 

 rather as the clothing of the bird than 

 as active instruments in its flight. These 

 ordinary feathers are imbricated — that is, 

 placed one over the edges of two — as slates 

 are in covering a roof. The lines in which 

 the several rows of feathers are j^laced form 

 very ciu'ious curves, and their shafts 

 diverge or converge so naturally, and \vith 

 such perfect agreement, to the surface they 

 cover, that no line of separation can be 

 traced," 



AVe have given these definitions and 

 interesting descriptions in full, and Mould 

 strongly advise the fancier who has not 

 already done so to familiarise himself 

 with them, and, by comi)aring them with 

 the features presented by his own specimens, 

 verify their accuracy ; feeling satisfied that 

 the little scrap of knowledge thus gained 

 will prove of service by and b\', and enable 

 him to follow closely descriptions in which 

 the use of recognised nomenclature may 

 be adopted. Our book is essentially homely, 

 and we have no intention of taking a very 

 scientific view of any question, but it is 

 as well to call things by their right names, 

 and to know what is meant when we use 

 them. 



We have already briefly pointed out 

 in our remarks at the commencement of 

 this chapter that no sjiecial 

 treatment is necessary in 

 general moulting. It is a 

 jirovision of Nature ; ai'.d though instances 

 will occur in every breeding-room in which 

 the functions are impeded, and the opera- 

 tion retarded and sometimes altogether 

 checked, yet these cases arc not frc(|uent 



Treatment 

 in Moulting. 



