and Coloiir-chuiif/c in Birds. 471 



LiiiiicoUe and Game-birds, have been left untouched. Witli 

 regard, however, to some of the writer's lemarks I must 

 take exception. For instance, he regards birds in captivity as 

 entirely untrustworthy subjects from which to draw con- 

 clusions respecting colour-change. But in what other way, 

 may I ask, are we to observe one individual feather through 

 successive days ? Mr. Stone argues that birds' habits in con- 

 finement are so diflPereut, and their constitutions so weakened, 

 that their moult probably takes place irregularlv. That 

 may be so, but if a bird be observed to undergo a colour- 

 change in captivity, it is obvious that colour-change in a 

 wild state is also possible. If ue find a bird in captivity 

 assuming during the course of several weeks the plumage 

 represented by a series of wild-shot individuals, surely it is 

 not unreasonable to deduce therefrom that each of those 

 wild individuals is assuming its plumage by methods similar 

 to those adopted by the specimen in captivity. To argue 

 facts from birds in captivity alone is obviously encroaching 

 on the realms of assumption ; but, taking in correlation 

 a series of wild birds, we get a key to the solution of the 

 question. 



Again, I must deny that belief in colour-change necessi- 

 tates a belief in the rebuilding of the worn edges of the 

 feathers. Such is by no means the case, nor is it a fact that, 

 because feathers have evenly-iounded edges, they are there- 

 fore freshly grown. A belief in colour-change necessitates 

 a belief in an even abrasion, and nothing more. A third 

 argument of Mr Stone's is the want of connection between 

 the feather and the body of the bird ; but, as I have already 

 touched on that subject, I will say nothing further here. 

 Mr. Stone tries to explain the apparently colour-changing 

 feathers by the following paragraph : — 



" As a matter of fact, these mottled plumages are per- 

 manent for the time being, and at each regular moult a 

 greater proportion of the adult plumage is assumed. 

 Scarcely any two individuals, however, correspond exactly 

 in the amount of change that is effected at a given moult ; 

 hence a series of breeding-birds taken during the late spring 



2 k ,2 



