The Body of a Bird 287 



thus both cleansing it and rendering it water-proof. That 

 birds, and especially those which, like quail, are found 

 in flocks, possess odours is borne witness to by the ability 

 of dogs to point successfully the hidden game; but that 

 this is of much use in enabling the birds to find one another 

 is doubtful, both from the fact of the slight development 

 of the sense of smell, and because of the loud call-notes 

 which are so characteristic of these birds. One exception, 

 however, may be noted, that of the apteryx, which is 

 said to have a strong and persistent odour, with corre- 

 spondingly well-developed nostrils. 



Again, among fur-covered animals we find usually 

 a poor development of the sense of sight and but few 

 of them exhibit bright colours, while, as we have seen, 

 birds excel in the power of seeing, and, correlated with 

 this, possess an unparalleled array of colours upon the 

 body. 



There are many ways in which the body or its feathers 

 are adapted to aid the bird in some special way. For 

 example, the Puff-back Shrike of Africa has a habit of 

 suddenly puffing out and erecting a patch of long, loose, 

 white feathers on its back, giving the appearance of a 

 large powder-puff, an act so startling and unexpected 

 being well calculated to make any attacking hawk or 

 other bird hesitate. 



The general texture of the body feathers is usually 

 an accurate index to the bird's power of flight. Although 

 the feathers of the breast and back are never as compact 

 or as stiff as those of the wings and tail, yet in birds of 

 good flight their barbs are quite firmly connected. In a 



