270 THE GOAT-SUCKER. 



Yes; it is furnished with a kind of comb on its legs, with 

 which it performs the office. Did you ever see the serrated 

 claw of the Goat sucker? (Caprimulgus Europseus.') 



HENRIETTA. 



Never, aunt. 



MRS. F. 



Then I will show you a representation of it when we go 

 home. This comb serves them to clear the plumage of their 

 heads from the insects which infest them, and, indeed, most 

 birds use their claws for similar purposes; and it is remarked, 

 those birds which cannot conveniently reach their heads, such 

 as ducks, martins, &c. are those which suffer the most from 

 vermin; and, indeed, we may remark with regard to our 

 domestic poultry, that when they run in a stony or gravelly 

 yard, they wear away the points of their claws, by scratching 

 and digging, and are in consequence disabled from cleaning 

 their feathers, which renders them less clean and healthy than 

 fowls which run at large. 



ESTHER. 



I suppose the same kind of cleaning is performed by the 

 spider and the ant. 



MRS. F. 



I believe so. We also continually see cows and horses 

 - cleaning each other's necks and heads, which the individual 

 cannot reach itself with its tongue; and in the same way, 

 caged .birds will often assist each other in the same opera- 

 tion. 



ESTHER. 



The cat also cleans itself and its kittens, not only with its 

 claws, but with its tongue, which is just like a currycomb. 



MARY. 



Yes. In the Library of Entertaining Knowledge* there 

 * Menageries, vol. i. p. 179. 



