14 STORIES OF BIRDS AND BEASTS 



all along, except just at the root, the spray-like parts 

 grow. They are. called the webs or vanes. Now look 

 through this magnifying glass at the web." 



The children looked in turn, and each exclaimed in 

 wonder at the sight. 



"Yes, it is very wonderful. The web, that looks so 

 smooth to the naked eye, is made up of a great many 

 small shafts, called barbs, that grow out of the main 

 shaft in rows. Every one of these small side-shafts has 

 its own rows of still smaller shafts ; and these again 

 have little fringes along their edges, quite curly or like 

 tiny hooks, that catch hold of the next row and hold 

 fast. So the whole feather keeps its shape, though it 

 seems so frail and delicate." 



" Are all feathers like this one ? " asked Rap. 



" All are equally wonderful, and equally beautiful in 

 construction ; but there is a good deal of difference in 

 the way the webs hold together. Almost all feathers 

 that come to the surface are smooth and firm, and there 

 is not much difference except in size, or shape, or color. 

 For example, the largest wing-feather or tail-feather of 

 this Sparrow is quite like the one I pulled out of its 

 back in texture, only the back-feather is smaller and 

 not so stiff. But near the roots of these feathers you 

 notice a fluffy part, where the webs do not hold to- 

 gether firmly. Some feathers are as fluffy as that in 

 their whole length. Such are called down-feathers, 

 because they are so downy. Birds that run about as 

 soon as they are hatched are always clothed in down, 

 like little chickens, before their other feathers sprout ; 

 and some birds, like Ducks, wear a warm underclothing 

 of down their whole lives. Then again some feathers 



