Study of a Feather 361 



:he junction of the rami and their attendant barbules ; so 

 Deautiful in their arrangement, that, once ruffled, it would 

 >eem a hopeless task ever to readjust them. How the bird 

 nanages to maintain such delicate feathers in their perfec- 

 :ion is, indeed, one of the wonders of Nature. Constant 

 ase does, of course, wear them away, and necessitate their 

 ?eriodic renewal ; but one rough touch of the finger is, 

 ipparently, sufficient to do more harm than a whole season's 

 #ear and tear, with the feathers continually rubbing against 

 Dne another ! The line of demarcation, between the downy 

 md the smooth portions, is abrupt, extending almost straight 

 down the feather, and is so distinct as to look like a differ- 

 ence in colour, and almost to be perceptible to the touch. 

 Most of the larger contour feathers are similarly marked, 

 each bearing, as it were, the impress of its fellow upon that 

 portion of its web which is usually covered by it, but with 

 he difference that in some of these the down points in the 

 opposite direction, viz. towards the tip of the feather. 

 Enough has, however, I hope, been said to point out to the 

 foung naturalist that a feather ought for him to be some- 

 :hing more than a mere thing of beauty. Some of those of 

 in owl are exquisite in their downiness ; but in the features 

 ust alluded to, none of them can surpass a quill feather 

 : rom the Goatsucker. 



