Quill

s. 1. The hard and strong feather of the wing, of which pens are made (Bacon). 2g. The in str ament of writing (Garth). Prick or dart of a porcupine (Arbuthnot). Reed on which weavers wind their threads (Spenser). 5. The instrument with which musicians strike their strings (Dryden). UILLs, are the large feathers taken out of the end of the wings of geese, ostriches, crows, . They are denominated from the order in which they are fixed in the wing; the second and third quills being the best for writing, as they have the largest and roundest barrels. Crow uills are chiefly used for drawing. In order to harden a quill that is soft, thrust the barrel into ‘hot ashes, stirring it till it is soft, and then taking it out, pre it almost flat upon your knee with the back of a penknife, and afterwards reduce it to a roundne with your fingers. Ans other method of hardening quills is by setting water and alum’ over the fire, and while it is boiling put in a handful of quills, the barrels only, for a minute, and then lay them by. Large quantities of quills are yearly imported in Britain from Germany and Holland. The ‘goodne of quill is judged by the size of the barrels, but particalarly by the weight; hence the denomination of quills of fourteen, fifteen, . loths; viz. the you sand consisting - of twelve hundred quills, weighing fourteen, fifteen, .loths, The loth is a German weight, oe something more than an ounce. Particular attention should be paid, on purchasing quills, that they may not be left-handed, that is, not out of the left wing.