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takes the place of feathers ; and their little heads 

 are turned round, and their bills busy in making 

 every scrap lie smoothly on the surface ; while a 

 young bird will sometimes, after arranging its 

 own plumes, endeavour to set to rights those of 

 the nestling near it. Some birds, like the larks, 

 roll in the dust, and cleanse their plumage by 

 pulverizing : and many young birds have so great 

 a desire for washing, that when in confinement, 

 and unable after the ablution to exercise or dry 

 themselves among the leaves, they perish by cold. 

 The impulse for washing, when checked during 

 captivity, seems to render the bird almost mad. 

 The Hon. and Eev. W. Herbert remarks on this 

 subject : — " It is very injurious to a nightingale 

 to wash in the winter, and it is fatal to it to do so 

 often ; yet the moment a pan of water is put into 

 its cage, it rushes into the water and soaks itself, 

 and then stands shivering, the very image of chil- 

 liness and despair ; yet it will eagerly repeat the 

 operation, if allowed to do so, every day till it 

 dies. Young whinchats, sedge-warblers, wood- 

 wrens, yellow wrens, &c., as soon as they can feed 

 themselves, if offered water in a cage, wash with 

 similar avidity; yet, if the temperature be much 



