Animals. 



The clothing of these animals is exactly 

 suited to their manner of life. The feath- 

 ers all tend backwards, and neatly and 

 closely fold over each other, which answer 

 the triple purposes of warmth, speed and 

 security. Those placed next the skin are 

 furnished with a warm soft down ; while 

 the exterior ones are arrayed with double 

 beards, longer at one end than the other, 

 and which consist of thin little laminae, 

 disposed in regular lines, and perfectly 

 even at their edges. The shaft of each 

 feather is formed of a thin hollSw tube, 

 which answers the purposes of strength 

 and lightness ; the upper part being filled 

 with a soft pith, to afford nourishment 

 to the beards. They are so placed, that 

 the largest and strongest, or those of the 

 wings and tail, have the greatest share of 

 duty to perform in flight. The upper 

 external side of each single filament, in 

 the beard of the feather, is furnished with 

 hairs on its edges, which lock into those 

 of the next filament, and thus form an en- 

 tire, but light, smooth surface. Birds are 

 also furnished with certain glands upon 

 their rumps, which contain a quantity of 

 oilj which they press out w ith their beaka*, 



