Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-04-03

waders, not so much from the color IT
their plumage, as from the elegant crests
and prolonged feathers which ornament
nearly all the species. The storks all fur
nisn, in more or less perfection, the beau
tiful plumes- superior in estimation even
to those of the ostrich-known by the
name of marabouts, from their appella-
ton in Senegal. The under tail -coverts
afford the beautiful plumes The down
of the young adjutant crane, and the
white feathers of other cranes, are OBJ
tanned in India and America, and are
made into boas and muffs. The feathers
of the white or sacred ibis are much used
for ornamental purposes in the East, and
are also sent to France, while the scarlet
ibis Of South America and Africa is like
wise in request. The skins of the Arctic
divers are dressed and made into cloaks,
muffs, and cuffs, and are much esteemed
as covering for the head and breast in
the rigorous climates in which they are
found, the great thickness of the feathers
rendering them very fit for that purpose.
Russia and the Levant send US considera-
bic quantities of the skins of grebes,
ducks and divers.
In Chloe, from the long, ash.colored
plumage of species of penguin, which is
little curled and soft, the natives spin
kind of coverlet that is highly priced.
In parts of North America, the Indians
make an elegant clothing of the feathers
eff the wild turkey. They twist the inner
webs into a strong double string with
hemp or fbrous bark, and work il like
mating. This appears very rich and
glossy, and as fine as silk shag Fans
used to be made of the tail, and of four
tails joined together the early French sec
tiers in Louisiana were wont to construct
a parasOl.
Old writings speak of feathers being
woven into a peculiar kind Of cloth BY
the Chinese. Among them was the Celes-
tial goose-velvet, the foundation of the
fabric being Of silk, into which the feath-
ers were skillfully interviewer in a COM
mon loom, those of crimson hue being
the most expensive. Tradition states
that garments made of feathers, and re-
sembllng fur dresses, were presented to
the Emperor Shauhau, who reigned
twenty-five centuries before our era. The
earliest allusion to robes woven with
feathers occurs in the history of the Tsin
dynasty. In the year 272 A. D., the court
physician presented the Emperor with
a gown made of feathers from the golden
utdutO pucdSduI. II son OIL the Emperor
Wuti, notorious for his extravaganza
had in the fifth century a robe woven with
peacock's feathers.
1t was also the custom of the emperors
to make presents annually, to certain
ministers Of state, of robes made with
the feathers of the variegated kingfisher
At later period princess engaged a
skillful artificer to collect feathers of
every description, to make two dresses for
the empress, which should, when looked
at in front, present one color, when view
ed sideways another, and when held up to
the light third. Although the Chinese
would seem to have lost the art of weav-
ing feathers, plumage work is still extern
sively practiced in the decoration of
metallic ornaments, worn by all classes of
females. On garlands, chaplets, frontals,
tiaras, and crowns of very thin copper,
purple, dark and light blue feathers of the
kingfsher, and other birds of gorgeous
brilliancy, are laid with exquisite taste
and skill.-CdsseCs lHdgd9ine.