The Body of a Bird 287 
thus both cleansing it and rendering it water-proof. That 
birds, and especially those which, like quail, are found 
in flocks, possess odours is borne witness to by the ability 
of dogs to point successfully the hidden game; but that 
this is of much use in enabling the birds to find one another 
is doubtful, both from the fact of the slight development 
of the sense of smell, and because of the loud call-notes 
which are so characteristic of these birds. One exception, 
however, may be noted, that of the apteryx, which is 
said to have a strong and persistent odour, with corre- 
spondingly well-developed nostrils. 
Again, among fur-covered animals we find usually 
a poor development of the sense of sight and but few 
of them exhibit bright colours, while, as we have seen, 
birds excel in the power of seeing, and, correlated with 
this, possess an unparalleled array of colours upon the 
body. 
There are many ways in which the body or its feathers 
are adapted to aid the bird in some special way. For 
example, the Puff-back Shrike of Africa has a habit of 
suddenly puffing out and erecting a patch of long, loose, 
white feathers on its back, giving the appearance of a 
large powder-puff, an act so startling and unexpected 
being well calculated to make any attacking hawk or 
other bird hesitate. 
The general texture of the body feathers is usually 
an accurate index to the bird’s power of flight. Although 
the feathers of the breast and back are never as compact 
or as stiff as those of the wings and tail, yet in birds of 
good flight their barbs are quite firmly connected. In a 
