348 THE STORY OF A BIRD LOVER 



learn through such means the changes in appear- 

 ance that were due to what is known as moulting, 

 — the periodic shedding and replacing of the 

 feathers of the coat, — this alone would more 

 than compensate for the time, the labor, and the 

 expense involved. It is an open question how 

 much of the difference in appearance, which all 

 of us realize occurs in birds at various seasons, 

 is due to direct moult, how much is due to the 

 wear of the feathers. The vexed question as to 

 whether feathers themselves change color, with 

 strenuous advocates pro and con, is still a bone 

 of contention, and no one knows definitely of an 

 experiment to settle the matter. 



Animals of various kinds have been domesticated 

 and bred in domestication or captivity for many 

 generations of men ; but I am not aware that 

 there exists anywhere a record of just how the 

 various breeders have brought about the results 

 which are patent to any one at the present day. 

 It is a question of economic value to know the 

 steps necessary to pursue in order to evolve from 

 a common ancestry by artificial selection, types of 

 animals which, morphologically, at least, are as 

 widely separated as the Percheron draught horse 

 and the thoroughbred racer, or the carrier and 

 fantail pigeon. 



It is generally conceded that the various breeds 

 of pigeons have been bred from a common stock, 



