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Characterized by short wings covered with feathers resembling scales, as the penguins. -- n.

The process of repairing broken feathers or a deficient wing.

Not plumed; without plumes or feathers; featherless. [R.] Drayton.

Notched along the margin with a different color, as the feathers of some birds. Indented line (Fort.), a line with alternate long and short faces, with salient and receding angles, each face giving a flanking fire along the front of the next.

Plumage; feathers.

The middle pair of tail feathers, or middle rectrices.

Pertaining to the upper back, or the part between the shoulders; as, the interscapular feathers.

The interscapular feathers of a bird.

Having the two webs equal in breath; -- said of feathers.

A fancy pigeon, in which the feathers of the neck form a hood, -- whence the name. The wings and tail are long, and the beak moderately short.

pursue other species of gulls and force them to disgorge their prey. The two middle tail feathers are usually decidedly longer than the rest. Called also boatswain, and marline-spike bird. The name is also applied to the skua, or Arctic gull (Megalestris skua).

(Rhinochetos jubatus), native of New Caledonia. It is gray above, paler beneath, and the feathers of the wings and tail are handsomely barred with brown, black, and gray. It is allied to the sun bittern.

of combination, and forming the chemical basis of epidermal tissues, such as horn, hair, feathers, and the like. It is an insoluble substance, and, unlike elastin, is not dissolved even by gastric or pancreatic juice. By decomposition with sulphuric acid it yields leucin and tyrosin, as does albumin. Called also epide…

re whitish at the edges. It is white beneath, with a white terminal band on the tail. The feathers on the head of the adults show a bright orange basal spot when erected. Called also bee bird, and bee martin. Several Southern and Western species of Tyrannus are also called king birds.

A thin plate or scale; specif., one of the thin, flat processes composing the vane of a feather.

A peculiar fatlike body, made up of cholesterin and certain fatty acids, found in feathers, hair, wool, and keratin tissues generally.

er, twenty dickers; of pitch and tar, fourteen barrels; of wool, twelve sacks; of flax or feathers, 1,700 lbs.

, a prize fighter, boxer, wrestler, or jockey, who is below a standard medium weight. Cf. Feather weight, under Feather. [Cant] -- To make light of, to treat as of little consequence; to slight; to disregard. -- To set light by, to undervalue; to slight; to treat as of no importance; to despise.

n full summer plumage, is chestnut brown above, with the breast more or less crimson. The feathers of its head are grayish brown, tipped with crimson. Called also gray linnet, red linnet, rose linnet, brown linnet, lintie, lintwhite, gorse thatcher, linnet finch, and greater redpoll. The American redpoll linnet (Acanth…

a cell for holding living objects under microscopical examination. P. H. Gosse. -- Live feathers, feathers which have been plucked from the living bird, and are therefore stronger and more elastic. -- Live gang. (Sawing) See under Gang. -- Live grass (Bot.), a grass of the genus Eragrostis. -- Live load (Engin.),…