no 



BIRDS 



Fig. 1S4. — l^'cathur : a, quill; 6, rac-his 

 c, vanes. 



pereliing. All of those 

 feathers that make up 

 the general contour of 

 the Ijo(1_v and bear 

 the color pattern aie 

 known as the contoiu- 

 feathers. They pro- 

 tect the body from 

 cold, rain, etc. They 

 are efficient non-con- 

 ductors of heat and 

 retain the heat of 

 the bod}'. Lying be- 

 neath and between 

 the contour feathers 

 are many small, soft, 

 loose feathers that are 

 known as the down 

 feathers. They also 

 serve admirably to 

 retain the heat of the 

 bod}'. Fuially, scat- 

 tered over the body, 

 liut concealed by the 

 other feathers , are cer- 

 tain hairlike bodies 

 kno\\'n as the thread 

 feathers. It is these 

 that are left on a fowl 

 after it is picked and 

 that are removed by 

 smgeuig. 



