226 MERULID^E. 



" The feathers arise pretty equally on the head where 

 there is no motion; and along the back, on the wings 

 between joint and joint ; as also on the thighs and legs ; 

 the whole forming a kind of partial coat of mail. As they 

 do not arise from every part of the skin equally, they must 

 be proportionately thick-set where they do arise. 



" The places of origin of feathers are very observable in 

 a bird that has been plucked ; but still more so in young 

 birds just feathering, more especially of such as have but 

 little down, and of which the clumps of feathers, from their 

 colour, as in the young Blackbird, present a great contrast 

 with the skin. 



" In the interstices of the clumps of feathers, there are 

 others disposed irregularly, but so sparingly as not to in- 

 terfere with the motion of the part." 



The four preceding paragraphs, and the two representa- 

 tions of the young of the Blackbird, while assuming the 

 first or nestling feathers, are taken from the Descriptive 

 and Illustrated Catalogue of the Physiological Series of 

 Comparative Anatomy, contained in the Museum of the 

 Royal College of Surgeons in London, Part II., vol. iii., 

 page 311. 



The upper figure shows the lines of young feathers on 

 the side and under part of the lower mandible ; the long 

 line of feathers down each side of the breast, which by 

 their growth and extension outwards and downwards cover 

 the principal part of the under surface of the body ; the 

 extended line of flight feathers, partly concealed by the 

 bend of the wing, and above them the various under wing- 

 coverts. 



The lower figure shows the long line of feathers covering 

 the brain, and the whole length of the spinal column; 

 those on the sides of the body over the shoulders, called 



