Definitions
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. In ornithology, certain down-feathers or plumulæ, technically called pulviplumes, which grow indefinitely, and continually break down at their ends into a kind of powdery or scurfy exfoliation. Such plumules are not found on most birds; they occur in various representatives of the raptorial, psittacine, and gallinaceous tribes, and especially in the heron tribe and some other wading birds, where they form matted masses of peculiar texture and appearance, called
powder-down tracts or patches. These tracts are definite in number and situation in the several kinds of birds on which they occur. Thus, in the true herons, there are three pairs, one on the lower back over each hip, one on each side of the lower belly under each hip, and one on each side of the breast along the track of the furcula. Bitterns have two pairs (none under the hips); boatbills have one extra pair over the shoulder-blades.
Examples
“It is also heron like in its possession of powder-down and some other features, and some workers have argued that it is really an aberrant heron.”
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Powder Fun
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powder, powder magazine, powderhorn, powderpuff, powder burn, powder barrel, powder keg, powder room, powder monkey, powderless, powder paper, powderize and 48 more...
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chained_bear A down feather which grows continuously and disintegrates into a powder at the tips instead of being moulted (more fully powder-down feather); such feathers collectively, which occur in patches on certain birds, as herons, toucans, parrots, and bowerbirds, the powder being used in cleaning the plumage. Feb 13, 2007