414 



The Bird 



escape from danger. Again, the theory has been advanced 

 that these white patches merge with the sky when the rab- 

 bit or deer makes the first high frantic leap to escape an 

 assailant, the white spots thus tending to confuse the 

 creature making the attack. We are, however, far from 

 certain whether any such interpretations can be applied 

 to those birds, such as the Junco, the Meadowlark, and 

 the Vesper Sparrow, w^hich have the lateral feathers of 



the tail white; but in these 

 cases the first theory seems 

 at least more probable, as 

 these birds live in flocks and 

 in a more or less open en- 

 vironment, where such a sig- 

 nal would have the greatest 

 chance for use. When a 

 Junco is upon the ground, 

 its black and gray plumage 

 renders it very inconspicu- 

 FiG. 329.— Tail of Junco. ous, but the iustant it takes 



to wing, out flashes the white V in its tail. 



We have seen that not a portion of the external parts 

 of the bird has escaped, in one species or another, being 

 utilized for ornament; generally, as well as we can tell, 

 as some decoration to attract or charm the female. Tails 

 bear even more than their share of adornment, which we 

 cannot pass by without mention, although, as dealing with 

 the psychological side of bird life, any discussion of this 

 question is outside the province of this volume. Some- 

 times it is only some slight addition to the feathers of 



