250 WITH THE U. S. NATURALISTS 



ing strikes into a riot of blue. Yet, when the mat- 

 ing season is over, the Bobolink has become the 

 plain-suited Eice-Bird, the Scarlet Tanager is a 

 dull olive green and the Indigo Bunting looks like 

 a Sparrow. 



**What seems to me the greatest mistake in the 

 whole matter is to assume, first of all, that the 

 hen chooses her mate, when all the evidence goes 

 to show that it is the male who does the choosing; 

 and, secondly, to assume that some species of birds 

 have aesthetic ideas with regard to color, while 

 other species have not. This is not reasonable. 

 Yet the colors of birds' feathers can be extraor- 

 dinarily beautiful. Some day, if you like, I'll 

 show you my collection." 



Understanding that this was a hint to go, Shan 

 got up. 



"I'd like to see it, right much, sir," he said. 



**And I'd like to see your egg collection some 

 day, too," was the pleasant reply; "Baker told 

 me about it." 



"Do you know Mr. Baker?" 



The Feather Man smiled. 



"Baker was a student under me when I was 

 professor of ornithology at a western university," 

 he replied. "He had made birds his hobby, but I 



