The web, that looks so smooth to the naked eye, is made up of a great many small shafts, called _barbs_, that grow out of the main shaft in rows.

Every one of these small side-shafts has its own rows of still smaller shafts; and these again have little fringes along their edges, quite curly or like tiny hooks, that catch hold of the next row and hold fast.

So the whole feather keeps its shape, though it seems so frail and delicate." "Are all feathers like this one ?" asked Rap.
"All are equally wonderful, and equally beautiful in construction; but there is a good deal of difference in the way the webs hold together.
Almost all feathers that come to the surface are smooth and firm, and there is not much difference except in size, or shape, or color.

For example, the largest wing-feather or tail-feather of this Sparrow is quite like the one I pulled out of its back in texture, only the back-feather is smaller and not so stiff.

But near the roots of these feathers you notice a fluffy part, where the webs do not hold together firmly.