66 THE FEA THERS. 



bird's being able to exist without this, its natural clothing, is 

 proved by a most cruel and barbarous custom, which cannot 

 be too strongly reprobated, practised in some parts of England, 

 where extensive flocks of Geese are bred and reared mainly 

 for the value of their feathers. The season of sheep-shearing 

 does not return more regularly than that of Geese-plucking. 

 It is chiefly performed by women ; and of course the torture 

 of the poor bird is greater in proportion to the want of skilful- 

 ness in the operator, those new to the employment often tear- 

 ing and lacerating the skin in such a manner as to occasion 

 the bird's death. But even when performed with the utmost 

 expertness, the poor birds pine for a considerable time after- 

 wards, losing their flesh and appetite ; their eyes become dull, 

 and they betray symptoms of weariness and weakness. In 

 some birds this growth of feathers is always going on, and 

 they may be said to be in a perpetual moult; while in others 

 again, and those chiefly water-birds, the process of moulting 

 or changing plumage occurs only twice in the year, in autumn 

 and in spring; and here again we shall find that Creative 

 Wisdom is at work in acting for the best. 



That there is a great difference in the summer and winter 

 plumage of many birds is known to almost everybody ; but 

 it requires a closer examination to see that much of this 

 difference consists in a great increase of warmth, to meet the 

 severity of the latter season, which is thus produced. In the 

 autumnal moult, when the summer feathers fall off, the new 

 feathers which take their place will be found to be fringed. 

 This fringe is generally of the same texture, though almost 

 always of a warmer and more downy character, and often of a 

 different colour, which will account for the variety of tints 

 often observed in birds at these different seasons of the year. 

 As the spring advances these little fringes break off, and leave 

 the edge of the feather sharp and defined, but of course 

 shorter ; in this very simple manner is the bird divested of a 

 quantity of winter clothing, when the weather is warmer, and 

 a superfluity of apparel no longer required. In the case of 

 two species of Partridges, called the Wood and Rock Partridge 



