Thick, soft growth of fur at base of outer edge of ear.

Tube-like accessories used for keeping the hands warm, muffs were of various sizes as dictated by fashion. They could be covered with fur, cloth, or feathers, and were usually padded.

Breeds of gamefowl whose members have what appear to be beards of feathers. Both hens and roosters will have this cluster of feathers. Also refers to sparring fowl with sparring muffs covering their natural spurs.

One HBC contributor inquires if boys who wore long curls and hair bows with dresses include girlish muffs? HBC is unsure. Ceratinly boys after breeching would not have worn muffs, but I have never read about what the convention was before breeching. It seems likely, however, that if the boy has not yet been breeched that a boy might have had a muff, this is especially true as muffs were worn by men and women in the 18th century and only gradually became a woman's garment in the 19th century. Thus a small boy in dresses may well have had a muff as well in cold weather. Christopher Wagner