wing-feathers

Francolin was grieved and cutting off all his hopes of life said to them, The fault is not yours, but mine own fault, in that I hearkened to you and plucked out my wing-feathers wherewith I used to fly.

The Book of The Thousand Nights And A Night 2006

Then he plucked out his wing-feathers and, tying his feet with a twine, carried him to his children and threw him to them.

The Book of The Thousand Nights And A Night 2006

The Francolin inclined to her speech, seeking ease for himself, and plucked out his wing-feathers, one by one, in accordance with the rede approved of by the Tortoise; then he took up his abode with them and contented himself with the little ease and transient pleasure he enjoyed.

The Book of The Thousand Nights And A Night 2006

“My advice is that thou pluck out thy wing-feathers, wherewith thou speedest thy flight, and tarry with us in tranquillity, eating of our meat and drinking of our drink in this pasturage, that aboundeth in trees rife with fruits yellow-ripe and we will sojourn, we and thou, in this fruitful stead and enjoy the company of one another.”

The Book of The Thousand Nights And A Night 2006

For it had not the form of a bird of the air but kept poising its long wing-feathers like polished oars.

The Argonautica 2008

Grey put his arm out, and the parody hopped onto it, fluffing its wing-feathers.

Pet Peeve Anthony, Piers 2005

Two eagles, low and huge, she'd heard the air torn by stiff wing-feathers and tail.

No snow jhetley 2004

Some embryos are formed in birds spontaneously, which are called wind-eggs and ‘zephyria’ by some; these occur in birds which are not given to flight nor rapine but which produce many young, for these birds have much residual matter, whereas in the birds of prey all such secretion is diverted to the wings and wing-feathers, while the body is small and dry and hot.

On the Generation of Animals 2002

Damaris went here, there and everywhere; played tennis; paid duty-calls, as you must when somebody extends her wing-feathers as shelter; acted in charades; attended concerts; and was thoroughly miserable.

The Hawk of Egypt Joan Conquest

Their wing-feathers also have a peculiar downy softness, so that they fly without the usual fluttering sounds that attend the flight of other birds, and are able to steal unawares upon their prey, and make their predal excursions without disturbing the general silence of the hour.

The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 04, No. 22, August, 1859 Various