THE FEATHERS. 81 



feather, ceases with the life of the bird; for if we 

 were to throw a dead duck into the water, w r e should 

 soon find that its coat had lost all power of resisting 

 water, and become a spongy mass of moisture. But 

 besides this, some birds, certain Eagles, Hawks, 

 Owls and Herons, for instance, are furnished with a 

 very fine dust or powder, which is supposed to be 

 of use in preserving their plumage, though in what 

 way is not at present exactly known. 



The growth of feathers, in young birds, in hot 

 and favourable weather is very remarkable. It has 

 been ascertained, by attending to nestlings, that in 

 eight days after their appearing from the egg in a 

 helpless naked state, they have acquired a full coat- 

 ing of feathers, and are able to make some use of 

 their wings. 



That feathers are essential to a bird, in its wild and 

 natural state, there can be no doubt; but they are not, 

 it would seem, in all cases absolutely necessary, for 

 a featherless naked Canary-bird was once actually 

 reared, and continued living in good health for up- 

 wards of three years. In this case, the featherless 

 state of the bird was accidental; but the fact of a 

 bird's being able to exist without this, its natural 

 clothing, is proved by a most cruel and barbarous 

 custom, which cannot be too strongly reprobated, 

 practised in some parts of England, where extensive 

 flocks of Geese are bred and reared mainly for the 

 value of their feathers. The season of sheep-shearing 

 does not return more regularly than that of Geese- 

 plucking. It is chiefly performed by women; and 

 of course the torture of the poor bird is greater in 

 proportion to the want of skilfulness in the operator, 



VOL. I. G 



