184 THE LOG OF THE SUN 



infer, the nostrils incased in horn render the sense 

 of smell of but slight account. It is hard to tell 

 how much a bird can distinguish in this way -. 

 probably only the odour of food near at hand. 

 However, when we examine the eye of our bird, 

 we see a sense organ of a very high order. 

 Bright, intelligent, full-circled, of great size com- 

 pared to the bulk of the skull, protected by three 

 complete eyelids; we realise that this must play 

 an important part in the life of the bird. There 

 are, of course, many exceptions to such a general- 

 isation as this. For instance, many species of 

 sparrows are dull-coloured. We must remember 

 that the voice the calls and songs of birds is 

 developed to a high degree, and in many instances 

 renders bright colouring needless in attracting 

 a mate or in locating a young bird. 



As we have seen, the sense of smell is very 

 highly developed among four-footed animals, but 

 to make this efficient there must be something for 

 it to act upon ; and in this connection we find some 

 interesting facts of which, outside of scientific 

 books, little has been written. On the entire body, 

 birds have only one gland the oil gland above the 

 base of the tail, which supplies an unctuous dress- 

 ing for the feathers. Birds, therefore, have not 

 the power of perspiring, but compensate for this 

 by very rapid breathing. On the contrary, four- 

 footed animals have glands on many portions of 



