HIS DRESS 1 
Besides washing and drying the feathers, they 
need oil to keep them in best condition. For 
this purpose birds have a little “oil jug,” a 
small gland over the tail, out of which, with the 
bill, they can squeeze a drop of oil. We often 
see ducks and geese oiling their feathers before 
a rain. 
Water birds, who need a great deal of oil to 
keep out the wet, have the oil jug very large. 
Birds seem to know perfectly well the beauty 
of their plumage. Not only do they try to show 
it off, as the peacock when he spreads his tail, 
but they seem to feel shame when their feathers 
are injured or soiled. One white feather coming 
in where it does not belong will make a bird 
very unhappy. He will work and tug at it to 
pull it out, and often make himself actually ill 
over the trouble. I had a captive bird who 
died, I think, from worry and work over a wing 
feather which persisted in coming in white, and 
which he insisted on pulling out every time. 
