DOMESTIC HABITS OF BIRDS. 

 CHAPTER IX. 



HABITS OF CLEANLINESS IN BIRDS. 



ANIMALS appear to be cleanly in proportion to 

 their sprightliness and activity ; and small animals, 

 with few exceptions, are also more active and more 

 cleanly than those of a larger size. The domestic 

 habits of birds, as well as what may be called their 

 personal habits, furnish us with many illustrations 

 of their peculiar attention to cleanliness, some of 

 which it may prove interesting to detail. The in- 

 stant any of their feathers are soiled they set about 

 trimming them, and they are no less attentive to 

 their nests. 



It is, no doubt, the same uncomfortable feeling 

 which we experience when our hair becomes dis- 

 arranged or tangled that induces birds to smooth 

 their feathers ; the matting together, for example, 

 of two contiguous feathers at the points, causing 

 them upon every motion of the muscles of the skin 

 to twitch away the parts from which they spring. 

 The irritation thus produced incites the bird to ex- 

 amine the feathers contiguous to the part ; and by 

 nibbling every plumelet with its beak, it soon suc- 

 ceeds in bringing them into their proper position, 

 while it frees them, at the same time, from any ex- 

 traneous matter that may adhere to them. 



It is surprising how soon nestling birds may be 

 seen thus trimming themselves. A short time after 

 they are able to open their eyes, while the down 

 which covers them when hatched has not begun to 



