!78 



ZOOLOGY 



feathers of the body be removed from one side of a pigeon 

 (Fig. 349), it will be seen to consist of a head, trunk, and, behind 

 the vent, a rudimentary tail. In front the trunlv is drawn out 



rcJi — 



' inf.tim.h 



Fig. .3.50. — Feathers of the common i)igeon. A. (|uill feather, liasal portion ; 

 cal, the ciuiU ; infAituh. lower depression; for admission of }:)lood-^"esseI 

 and ner\'e : suj>.iiiiil>, upper depression; rcli. sliaft. B. liair-Ul<e 

 feathers, "filtjpluines." C\ ncstUng down. From Bronn's " Tiesreieh.'' 



into a long neck connecting with the head. The length of the 

 neck gives great freedom of movement to the head, a move- 

 ment useful not only in fiiglit and in picking grain from 

 the ground, but also in enabhng ilic bird to reach every 

 part of the jilumage. There are two pairs of ajipendages, of 

 which the anterior is greatly niotlified, being without fingers. 



