36 



THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



- it If. P. D.. 



DENHAM'S BUSTARD 



This species^ iL-hcn ^^ shozuing ojf^''^ fi//s the gulht ivtth uir^ hai-nig no special air- 

 sac like the g' cal buslar d 



Kui-"F. The importance of this ex- 

 ception is still further increased by 

 the fact that the change in coloration 

 is accompanied by the development 

 nf a large frill around the neck, 

 sinmoiinted by two large tufts called 

 " ears," and fleshy, brightly coloured 

 warts around the beak. The coloured 

 picture of the male in its spring dress, 

 which will be found on another page, 

 gives an admirable idea of the t\-pical 

 rufif, but it must necessarily fail to give 

 an\' indication of one \-ery remark- 

 able fact concerning this frill and 

 the two " ears," and for this reason — 

 no two individuals ever ha\'e these 

 peculiar feathers of the same colora- 

 tion and pattern. The range of colour 

 is certainly not great — the changes 

 being rung, so to speak, on black, 

 white, chestnut, bay, and ash-colour. 

 Diversification is gained b\-coiUrasting 

 the "ears" with the frill, and adding 

 bars or streaks to the light coloration, 

 and purple, green, and violet reflec- 

 tions to the dark. These ornaments 

 are donned in a surprisingly short 

 they are scarcely completed b)' the month 



space of time, and arc discarded as quickly, fir 



of May, and are thrown oft' again at the end of June. During the time that this resplendent 



livery is worn the males engage in mimic battles — which ma\^ occasionally develop into real 



ones — arranged apparently fur the edification of the females, which, it seems, select as partners, 



at least for that season, those which please or e.vcite most. This power of pleasing must 



certainl)- be considerable, for 



the ruff is a poI\'gamous 



species. 



Formerly the ruft" was 

 a common bird in luiglanii, 

 but the drainage of the 

 fens and persecution have 

 practically brought about its 

 extermination. 



At least two groups of 

 plovers have succeedetl in 

 reversing the usual order of 

 things in the matter of se.xual 

 plumage. These are the 

 PH.\LARorES — which are 

 British birds — and the 

 r.-MNTED SxiFE, in both of 

 which the female is more 



brightly coloured and some- GREAT HUS I'ARDS 



what larger in size than the The cock on ihe right is '^ sho".ving off' 



Phttt by fK F. Tigg'ltl 



\_Lrighton BuxX'ird 



