THE FEATHER MAN 249 



periment has shown that this is not the case. In 

 species such as the Redstart and the Orchard 

 Oriole, where the male 's plumage in his first mat- 

 ing season is duller than in after years, the young 

 birds have no difficulty in finding mates. 



''Beware," said the Feather Man, shaking his 

 finger warningly at the boy, "in questions of bird- 

 study, beware of any answer which looks easy and 

 pleasing. Ten to one such a theory will prove to 

 be wrong. To say that the male puts on his gayest 

 coat to please the hen-bird, and to say that she 

 chooses him because of his fine feathers, is to give 

 birds an appreciation of art somewhat similar to 

 human beings. We are not justified in assuming 

 this. 



"There's not the slightest doubt in the world 

 that male birds with gay feathers like to show them 

 off. But, since there is often a battle for the mate, 

 it is more than possible that the victory of the 

 most brightly colored bird, is not a question of 

 aestheticism, but that the gay suitor is the strong- 

 est bird, the healthiest bird and the one which will 

 take the mate for himself. 



"Many birds have a nuptial plumage. The 

 Bobolink puts on his black and buff, the Scarlet 

 Tanager dons his red and black, the Indigo Bunt- 



