1.   A nesting cormorant glared at us with green eyes, its black feathers glossed with a purple sheen.

2.   Seen from above they were twice as wonderful, seeming to sweep across his cheekbones like silky black feathers.

3.   The only trace of the chicken was a single black feather near the back door.

4.   They will also be wearing ceremonial white hair sporrons from their waists, red and black hose, white spats and soaring black feather bonnets.

5.   With all those black feathers, the victim had to be a starling, but with both wings tightly pinned to its sides, it seemed to have shrunk.