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The act of casting off, or that which is cast off, as skin, feathers, excrement, etc. Casting of draperies, the proper distribution of the folds of garments, in painting and sculpture. -- Casting line (Fishing), the leader; also, sometimes applied to the long reel line. Casting net, a net which is cast and drawn, in d…

A tuft of feathers on a peacock's head. Johnson.

n pursuit of proper game, and fly after other birds. And like the haggard, check at every feather That comes before his eye. Shak.

Tufted; -- said of certain feathers of birds.

A genus of flowering plants, of many species, mostly climbers, having feathery styles, which greatly enlarge in the fruit; -- called also virgin's bower.

t common species (T. flavifrontella)is yellowish white. The larvæ eat woolen goods, furs, feathers, etc. They live in tubular cases made of the material upon which they feed, fastened together with silk.

nse; to pay for something by contribution. The owl, the raven, and the bat, Clubbed for a feather to his hat. Swift.

, a clutch in which connection is made by means of bayonets attached to arms sliding on a feathered shaft. The bayonets slide through holes in a crosshead fastened on the shaft.

jocularly, of one prepared for instant action. -- At half cock. See under Half. -- Cock feather (Archery), the feather of an arrow at right angles to the direction of the cock or notch. Nares.

t they become detached and cling to seaweeds, etc., by their dorsal cirri; -- called also feather stars.

The outline of a horizontal section of the ground, or of works of fortification. Contour feathers (Zoöl.), those feathers that form the general covering of a bird. -- Contour of ground (Surv.), the outline of the surface of ground with respect to its undulation, etc. -- Contour line (Topographical Suv.), the line in…

or one thing upon another; a winding motion. O'er the calm sea, in convolution swift, The feathered eddy floats. Thomson.

A hornlike tuft of feathers on the head of some birds.

Having the coronal feathers lengthened or otherwise distinguished; -- said of birds.

One of the special feathers covering the bases of the quills of the wings and tail of a bird. See Illust. of Bird.

animal's head; the comb of a cock; the swelling on the head of a serpent; the lengthened feathers of the crown or nape of bird, etc. Darwin. [Attack] his rising crest, and drive the serpent back. C. Pitt.

Having a crest of feathers or hair upon the head. "The crested bird." Dryden.

A very fine, hairlike feather. Booth.

Pertaining to the crissum; as, crissal feathers.

That part of a bird, or the feathers, surrounding the cloacal opening; the under tail coverts.