272 THE STORY OF THE BIRDS 



Here we find that the males invariably perform 

 the duties of incubation, and in some instances 

 at least are known to display the greater solici- 

 tude for the eggs and young. The Dotterel 

 and the Phalaropes are two of the most familiar 

 instances. 



We now come to consider the special mode 

 of nidification in species where both sexes are 

 of bright and conspicuous colours. Here, again, 

 the reader will have many instances in mind. 

 By far the greater number of species coming 

 into this group are tropical forms, a very large 

 number being included in the order Coracii- 

 formes. The rule in this group is that bright 

 plumage is correlated with a covered nest. The 

 sitting bird either hides itself in a hole of 

 a tree or rock, or in the ground, or builds a 

 domed nest in which it can conceal itself. 

 This will explain why we have found so many 

 remotely allied species adopt the same methods 

 of nidification. Some of these nests, however, 

 are placed in very exposed situations where 

 they would seem to invite attack. But as we 

 have already shown in not a few instances, these 

 nests are hung quite out of reach of enemies, 

 over water and at the extremities of long slen- 

 der branches. Then we must remember how 



