Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-03
BIRDS AND THEIR TAILS.
Origin and Use of "A Most Important
Member.


Member.
Birds have not always had the graceful
fan-like bunch of feathers which is The
typical form Of tail of most living species.
says the New York Post. Their ancestors,
the lizard-like birds, trailed long appen-
dages composed of many little bones or
vertebrae, with a pair OF perfectly de-
veloped feathers growing from each sep
arate piece of the backbone.
II we look at the skeleton of a sparrow
or dove, we will see, at the tail end OF the
spinal column, a curious wedge-shaped
bone, which is known as the ploughshare
bone. This is all that is left OF the lizard
tail, but the rest OF the appendage, in the
course of its evolution through the ages.
has not dropped of, nor. like the tail OF a
polywog.' has 1t been absorbed. II has been
telescoped or crowded together, the bones
nearer the body bullying out slightly on
either side. So at the present day. tail
feathers grow, not like the webs on the
shaft Of a feather. but fan-like from a
composite mass of bone.
Now that we have evolved our modern
birds tail, let us see to what uses It may
be put, and a fine place TO do this is in the
New York Geological park. OF course. its
use as an aid to flight is the first thought
which comes to our mind. and rightly,
too, for the parts which It plays in this re-
spect in various birds, are many. The tail
is used as a rudder. especially when 1t is
long and powerful, enabling birds such as
tropic birds and magpies to make quick
turns in the air. Tails sometimes perform
the function Of brakes. When a great peli-
can settles gradually toward the surface Of
the water. the tail. widespread and lowered.
1 O.. - or,aF g,,aorF,paa a., rau,IotE,a Al,
shock Of alighting. The tail is aided in
this function Of brake by the great expanse
OF web between the toes, both feet being
conically stretched out In front.
Birds which have very short tails are un-
able to turn quickly. and their flight is yer,
direct, or even when there is a long tail. Il
It is principally for an ornament, and not
we'll muscled, II Is OF little use in helping
it's owner to change the direction OF flight
Among many other uses OF tails we must
mention props. Woodpeckers and creeper'
really sit on their tails, the feathers OF
which ere stiffened, and with just enough
resistance at the tips to admit OF thei
bending into and making use Of every crew
ice in the bark. AS we watch a BROW
creeper hop rapidly up q tree trunk. neye
missing a foothold, no matter what smootl
places Il may encounter. we say to our
selves. how impossible this mode OF pro
erosion would be without the all-import
ant caudal appendage. But here, as every
where. Nature confronts us with surprises
Our natural philosophers tell us that tn
law Of gravitation Is universal, and yet 4
almost every grove Of trees in winter, W
will fnd what are apparent exceptions. IS
ISOLATED with the brown creepers. littl
blue and white birds will often he seen
nuthatches-which run and hop merrill
over the trunks and branches. upside dowI
wrong side up. anyway. any place whic
promises an insect tidbit. And most won
derful Of all, it is only by means Of thei
eight little claws that they do this, III
rather short tail Is often bent far fOrwar
over the bark and in every case neye
touches the bark.
! Even the innate characteristics Of bird
3 are often portrayed in the manner Of car
/. rying the tail, quiet, soft-mannered bird
carrying IL low beneath the wing tips, Will
e active, nervous species carry Il more Q
E less raised. The peaeoek's real tail cor