WONDERS OF THE MICROSCOPE 251 



may profitalMy examine the scales of these ; and 

 one is shown in Fig. 1 7 t. 



If the taste of my readers is not with the 



Fig. 170. Skin of a sole 



fishes, they may readily turn to the birds, whose 

 feathers present many interesting e.xamples of 

 minute details. 



Feathers may be regarded as composed of 

 doubly or triply pinnatifid hairs, and consist of 

 the "quill" or central axis which carry the 

 " barbs," which latter toQ-ether form the "vane." 



