The Louisiana populist., 1896-12-11
ANIMALS MAKE UP.
Even Birds Are Well Supplied With Cos.
metics.


Is equipped with supply Of cosmetics.
Nature has looked after the nicer
needs of her wild wards with Il loving
care. Pride in their appearance is
really a strong instinct in most of the
higher animals.
Brushes and combs most animals car
ry with them. "Brilliantine" also is
carried in small and handy reservoir
by all ducks and divers. Mud serves
for cold cream and vaseline; dust for
fuller's earth and pearl powder, and
water, as with us, is perhaps the most
important necessary. But birds es-
pecially are mighty particular about
the quality of their toilet dust" and
equally nice as to the water in which
they prefer to wash. Some use water
only, some water or dust, others dust
and no water. Partridges are 4 good
example of the busting birds, and are
most careful in the selection of their
dust baths. Dry loan suits them best.
But perhaps their favorite place is a
meadow where few turfs have been
removed. There they scratch out the
loan, and shuttle backward under the
grass roots till their feathers are full
Of the cool earth. In wet weather they
find, If possible, heap OF burned ashes
on the site of n weed fire, and dust
there. Sparrows, on the contrary, al
ways choose road dust, the dryest and
finest possible. Larks also are fond of
the road, and dust there in the early
morning. But they. too, have their
fancy, and choose the dry, gritty part
where the horses hoofs tread.
Wild ducks, though feeding by the
salf water, prefer to wash in fresh
water pools, and will fly long distances
inland to running brooks and ponds,
where they preen and wash themselves
in the early morning. But, though
passing so much time on the water,
ducks seem to prefer n shower bath
10 any other;a land in heavy rain they may
be seen opening their feathers and al
lowing the rain to soak in, after which
they dress the whole surface with oil
from the reservoir which we mentioned
above
Swallows and martins are as nice in
their choice of bath water as any pro
fessional beauty" nothing but newly
fallen rain water thoroughly pleases
them, and if tempted to battle it is gen.
orally by some shallow pool in the road
which an hours sun will evaporate.
Trained birds, in good health, bathe al
most daily, and the bath of a peregrine
falcon is very careful performance.
But no nymph could be more jealous
Of witness than these shy birds, and
it is not until after many careful
glances in every direction that the fal-
con descends from her block and wades
into the shallow bath. Then. after more
suspicious glances, she thrusts her
broad head under the water, and filings
1t on her back, at the same time raising
the feathers and letting the drops
throughly soak them. After bathing
head and back, she spreads her wings
and tail fanlike on the water, and rapid
ly opens and shut them. after which she
stoops down and splashes the drops in
every direction. The bath over, she
AlcS Outc uiOIt tO llc DlOck, anu. Iurn-
ing her back to the sun, spreads every
feather of the wings and tail, raises
those on the body, and assists the pro-
cess Of drying by a tremulous motion
impaired to every quill, looking more
like an old cOrmorant on a buoy than
peregrine.
Cats, large and small, make the most
careful toilet Of any class Of animals,
with the exception of some of the opos-
sums. The lions and tigers wash them.
selves in exactly the same manner as
the cat, wetting the dark, india-rubber-
like ball Of the fore foot and the inner
toe, and passing it over the face and be-
hind the ears. The foot is thus at the
same time a face sponge and brush,
and the rough tongue combs the rest
of the body. Hares also use their
feet to wash their faces. and the hare's
foot is so suitable for brush that it IL
always used to supply the paint" to
the face for the stage.