116 HABITS OF BIRDS. 



made till the part is properly adjusted. We have 

 observed a young greenbird (Fringilla Moris) preen- 

 ing its wings as they became dry after washing ; and 

 we could distinctly perceive the tongue employed 

 both for ascertaining the parts that were rumpled, 

 and for licking them straight when merely passing 

 them through the bill was found to be insufficient. 



That this, though it may be considered a novel 

 statement, is notwithstanding a correct one, may be 

 corroborated analogically by referring to the similar 

 manner in which other animals clean themselves. 

 Quadrupeds have no glands similar to those in birds 

 erroneously conjectured to furnish a dressing oil ; 

 yet the greater number of quadrupeds have their fur 

 smooth and even glossy, simply from licking it, as 

 our young greenbird was seen to do its feathers. 

 The cattle in our pastures may in this way be seen 

 passing their moist tongues over their hair ; and the 

 elephant in a menagerie may be observed using the 

 moist extremity of his proboscis to clean his rough 

 hairless skin. 



CHAPTER X. 



BIRDS, SOLITARY AND GREGARIOUS, ON ACCOUNT OF FOOD. 



AT the moment of writing this, we can see from 

 our study-window seven out of a flock of a score 

 feeding so closely crowded as to have their fleeces 

 in actual contact. And yet the field is by no means 

 small, and other parts of it have grass equal in good- 

 ness to the corner where these seven sheep are nib- 

 bling it to the very root, while the rest of their com- 

 panions are only at a few feet distance, in the same 

 quarter of the field. 



