THE CHICKEN 73 



Why ? We will look closely at these feathers. 

 This middle part is called the shaft. Each side 

 is called a web. Is the web of the same width on 

 both sides ? (Notice how the feathers are arranged 

 on the wing.) The narrow web of one covers the 

 wide web of its neighbor. Only one side needs to 

 be long, and the chicken wishes to have as light 

 wings as possible, as we have said before. Can 

 you think of any reason for having the narrow web 

 over the wide one ? Examine the wing. Would it do 

 just as well to have the wide web over the narrow? 



Notice one little part of the web. That is called 

 a barb. Separate carefully these barbs. (They 

 cling closely together.) After you have separated 

 them, smooth them down. What do you notice? 

 (They cling as before.) Hold the feather up to the 

 light as you slowly separate these barbs. What do 

 you see ? (Each barb has little teeth on both sides. 

 These teeth fit into those of the barbs next to them.) 

 Is that well for the chicken ? (Yes, if the feathers 

 let the air through, it would leave nothing to press 

 against and the chicken could not rise.) What do 

 you notice above these long feathers ? Of what use 

 are these feathers? Above these, what? Can you 

 think how else the chicken is helped by having 



