7 
but it must be understood they have no connection whatever with the 
more prevalent cross bars which are produced by constrictions round the 
growing feather. 
All these malforme’ or freak feathers are due to some injury to the 
feather germ by which the parts of the feather are not formed in the 
regular manner. In the case of two or three imperfect feathers from one 
socket it may be assumed that the feather germ has been torn or divided 
into two or three parts, and an incomplete feather comes from each part. 
The vertical bar may be compared with the longitudinal ridges or grooves 
often found on one’s nails, and which are due to some injury to the bed of 
the nail in the region of the new growth. 
The feather photographed was obtained from Messrs. Rosenbaum, 
Lax & Co., Grahamstown, having been grown by Mr. J. Alban Gardiner, 
Stapelford, Kendrew, and its special interest lies in the fact that the same 
socket always produces a feather with a longitudinal bar. In fact three 
consecutive feathers (1906 to 1908) have now been obtained all from the 
same socket, and all show a like defect. This and similar instances seem 
sufficient to justify us in the conclusion that a feather germ or socket once 
injured, either accidentally or by careless quilling, will probably never 
recover, but continue to grow a malformed feather with each crop. 
