Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun One of the feathers which form the covering of a newly-hatched bird, resembling but distinct from the down of an adult bird. Neossoptiles are distinguished by having a very short calamus; a very short rhachis, or none at all; practical absence of cilia; long slender rami; and no aftershaft, save in the emu. The term is correlative with
mesoptile andteleoptile .
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reesetee commented on the word neossoptile
A downy feather on most newly hatched birds, or the stage during which a newly hatched bird still has downy feathers.
October 13, 2007