THE DIPPER. 191 



from the fact that the feathers of the dipper " may 

 remain half an hour or more in the water without 

 receiving damage," he nullifies his inference, by 

 adducing a subsequent fact, that the feathers of a 

 robin or a thrush, " if they have only fallen into the 

 water for a few minutes, become totally spoiled, as 

 far as the purposes of stuffing are concerned ;" for 

 the robin and the thrush have the oil-gland as 

 completely developed, and as perfect in every point 

 of view, as that of the dipper. If, then, the feathers 

 of the dipper are preserved from injury in the water 

 by the contents of the oil-gland, surely, by a parity 

 of reasoning, those of the robin and the thrush ought 

 to be equally preserved. But the Rev. Mr. Morris 

 informs us that the feathers of the robin and the 

 thrush become totally spoiled, as far as the purposes 

 of stuffing are concerned, if they have only fallen 

 into the water for a few minutes. This I consider 

 tantamount to an avowal, on the part of the reverend 

 ornithologist, that the robin and the thrush do not 

 lubricate their feathers. So much for the oil-gland, 

 and its supposed uses. 



I will now take the liberty of assuring the Rev. 

 Mr. Morris, that the feathers of the robin and the 

 thrush do not become totally spoiled, as far as the 

 purposes of stuffing are concerned, by immersion in 

 the water ; on the contrary, their plumage is im- 

 proved by it. Merses pro/undo, pulchrior evenit. 

 I will engage to steep a robin and a thrush for a 

 whole day in a basin of water, and make better spe- 

 cimens of them than if I had stuffed them before 

 they had undergone the immersion. 



