82 THE FEATHERS. 



those new to tlie employment often tearing and 

 lacerating the skin in such a manner as to occasion 

 the bird's death. But even when performed with 

 the utmost expertness, the poor birds pine for a 

 considerable time afterwards, losing their flesh and 

 appetite ; their eyes become dull, and they betray 

 symptoms of weariness and weakness. In some 

 birds this growth of feathers is always going on ; 

 and they may be said to be in a perpetual moult; 

 while in others again, and those chiefly water-birds, 

 the process of moulting or changing plumage occurs 

 only twice in the year, in autumn and in spring; 

 and here again we shall find that Creative Wisdom 

 is at work in acting for the best. 



That there is a great difference in the summer 

 and winter plumage of many birds, is known 

 to almost every body; but it requires a closer 

 examination, to see that much of this difference 

 consists in a great increase of warmth, to meet the 

 severity of the latter season, which is thus produced. 

 In the autumnal moult, when the summer feathers 

 fall off, the new feathers, which take their place, will 

 be found to be fringed. This fringe is generally of 

 the same texture, though almost always of a warmer 

 and more downy character, and often of a different 

 colour, which will account for the variety of tints 

 often observed in birds at these different seasons of 

 the year. As the spring advances these little fringes 

 break off, and leave the edge of the feather sharp 

 and defined, but of course shorter; in this very 

 simple manner is the bird divested of a quantity of 

 winter clothing, when the weather is warmer, and 

 a superfluity of apparel no longer required. In 



