in Phytology, a general name for the covering of birds; it being common to all the animals of this class to have their whole body, or at least the greatest part of it, covered with feathers or plumage. See Ornithology Index.

Feathers make a considerable article in commerce, particularly those of the ostrich, heron, swan, peacock, goose, &c. for plumes, ornaments of the head, filling of beds, writing pens, &c.

Geese are plucked in some parts of Great Britain five times in the year; and in cold seasons many of them die by this barbarous custom. Those feathers that are brought from Somersetshire are esteemed the best, and those from Ireland the worst.

Eider down is imported from Denmark; the ducks that supply it being inhabitants of Hudson's Bay, Greenland, Iceland, and Norway. Our own islands west of Scotland breed numbers of these birds, which turn out a profitable branch of trade to the poor inhabitants. Hudson's Bay also furnishes very fine feathers, supposed to be of the goose kind. The down of the swan is brought from Dantzig. The same place also sends us great quantities of the feathers of the cock and hen. The London poulterers sell a great quantity of the feathers of those birds, and of ducks and turkeys: those of ducks being a weaker feather, are inferior to those of the goose; and turkey feathers are the worst of any. The best method of curing feathers is to lay them in a room, in an exposure to the sun; and when dried, to put them in bags, and beat them well with poles to get the dirt off.