AN ORNITHOLOGICAL LECTURE. 



87 



which it differs from every other creature except the bat 

 and insects its power of flying. For this purpose, the 

 bird's arm ends in only one long slender finger, instead of 

 a full hand. To this are attached the quills and small 

 feathers (coverts) on the upper side, which make up the 

 wing. Observe how light all this is : in the first place, the 

 bones are hollow; then the shafts of the feathers are hol- 

 low; and, finally, the feathers themselves are made of the 

 most delicate filaments, interlocking and clfnging to one 

 another with little grasping hooks of microscopic fineness. 



THE KINGFI8UEE. 



