CH. XXIX. PLUMAGE IMPERVIOUS TO WET. ]5l 



to wet in cold countries, we always find that their 

 chief defence against the cold consists in a thick 

 coating of fat, and that their hair is short and close. 

 In like manner dogs who are in good condition 

 can better sustain the intense cold of the water 

 than those whose only defence consists in a shaggy 

 hide. Short-coated dogs are also the most active 

 and powerful swimmers, and get dry sooner than 

 those who are too rough-coated. 



The imperviousness to wet of the plumage of 

 wild fowl is evidently not caused by any power 

 which the birds have of supplying grease or oil to 

 their feathers. The feathers have a certain degree 

 of oiliness no doubt, but from frequent observation 

 I am convinced that it is the manner in which the 

 feathers are placed which is the cause of the water 

 running off them as it does. 



As long as a wild duck of any kind is alive, his 

 skin remains perfectly dry whilst he is in the water, 

 although from the situation in which he may be 

 placed — being pursued, for instance — it is quite 

 impossible for him to find time to " oil his plumage," 

 as some authors assert he does, " in order to keep 

 out. the wet ;" but the moment a duck or water 

 fowl is dead the water penetrates through the 

 feathers, wetting the animal completely. If one 

 wing is broken, the feathers of that wing imme- 



