286 HORSE AND MAX. 



A younger brother of mine fell a victim to his 

 ignorance of this part of natural history. 



When a boy, he became the happy possessor of 

 a jackdaw, and, having heard that the wings of birds 

 ought to be clipped, he proceeded to clip them, 

 carrying out the work most conscientiously. He cut 

 off the feathers of both wings close to the limb, and 

 the tail close to the body, beside snipping away here 

 and there feathers which looked too obtrusive, and 

 was as satisfied with his work as is a farrier after 

 scooping out a hoof. 



Soon afterwards came the moulting season, when, 

 as a matter of course, the bird regained its plumage, 

 and flew away. 



All the cutting and clipping to which the feathers 

 had been subjected had no effect upon the next suit 

 of feathers, and neither does clipping have any effect 

 on the next set of hairs. I lay some stress on this 

 fact because many persons have been dissuaded from 

 the abandonment of clipping because they have been 

 told that if the practice be once began, it cannot be 

 relinquished without making the coat rough and 

 staring. Similarly, many persons who have been 

 accustomed to shave are afraid to abandon the razor, 

 because they have been told that their beards will 

 be coarse, dry, and rough. 



