20 STRA Y FEA THERS FROM MANY BIRDS. 



food for mankind alone would place them very high in 

 the scale of useful living objects ; but we have yet to 

 notice the commercial and economic value of birds in 

 many other ways. 



Our next division will treat of Feather and Plume 

 products. If the flesh of many birds is used for food, 

 the beautiful covering of feathers and down still more 

 takes an important place in the commerce of the world. 

 The down, feathers, and plumes of birds are used for a 

 great number of purposes both useful and ornamental. 

 Probably, from the very commencement of the period 

 when prehistoric man took to wearing any covering or 

 ornament, the feathers of birds were largely used a 

 practice which the wild tribes of the earth have 

 continued to follow. The Red Man of North America 

 had his head-dress of Eagle plumes ; the African 

 savages delight to make themselves gay with Parrot's 

 feathers, as also do the natives of the South Seas and 

 South America. Nor was this all ; the hollow wing- 

 bones of many birds made him his pipe-stems a 

 custom which civilised man has also adopted, those of 

 the Goose and the Albatross being special favourites with 

 smokers. The stiff quill feathers of various species of 

 birds are used by savages to flight their arrows ; and in 

 modern archery no better material has yet been 

 discovered. 



Two of the greatest of our nightly comforts are due 



