MASTER IMPERTINENCE. 



151 



Talking of dress, have you ever seen a naked bird, one 

 stripped, I mean, of its feathered garments ? No doubt you 

 have seen a plucked fowl. Was ever such a change ? All 

 the characteristic symmetry and grace of form has 

 vanished. The neck is scraggy, the wings hang limp and 

 apologetic; the tail is a ridiculous little fat upturned 

 protuberance. Those gentle and pleasing curves of the 

 living feather-clad bird have given place to a mere 

 awkward corpse, fit only to be dressed in another sense 

 and to appeal to other senses. This we all must have 

 noticed. But I daresay we may not all have noticed 



FEATHER TRACTS. 



that the scars left by the removal of the feathers are 

 not scattered broad-cast over the body, but are arranged 

 in definite tracts with featherless spaces between them. 

 This is, perhaps, even better seen in a fledgeling sparrow 

 or blackbird or rook. Such a fledgeling rook lies before 

 me, an ugly little = monster, though I daresay the Rev. Mr. 

 Rook and his good wife were very proud of him, and saw 

 all sorts of beauties and mysterious family resemblances. 

 His mouth is enormous, with broad yellow flanges at the 

 sides ; I suppose to prevent the worms wriggling out. His 

 eye, now closed in death, is a little slit above the flanges of 



