A GAY DECEIVER 207 



Ce7itropns phasianus — a cuckoo which is a very fair imi- 

 tation of a pheasant. 



On this view the resemblance is a mere chance one. 

 The cuckoo is not an ass in a lion's skin, but an ass 

 that looks very like a lion. His lion-like shape was 

 not forced upon him by natural selection. A variety 

 of causes probably contributed to it. It was not until 

 the resemblance had arisen and become very striking 

 that it was directly affected by natural selection. 



I am far from saying that the above is a correct ex- 

 planation of the nigritude : it is all pure hypothesis. 

 Even if it be correct, we are really very little further 

 than we were before towards an explanation of the 

 colours and shape of either the king-crow or the drongo 

 cuckoo. 



Why did these birds tend to grow black feathers 

 rather than red, green, or blue ones ? 



This is a question which " stumps " us all. 



