PLUMAGE 



its feathers. Birds of the same species are often found 

 to differ in size in various parts of the country. 

 Climatic changes and food supply affect the bird so 

 greatly that it is sometimes a difficult matter to 

 determine whether it is a subspecies or a new species. 



In course of time many subspecies become so 

 profoundly modified in appearance that they differ 

 from the type sufficiently to be designated a new 

 species. This gradual change may go on for many 

 thousands of years before very marked variations take 

 place in the plumage and body of the bird. 



To secure a mate the male bird is obliged to court 

 the female. This courtship is more or less prolonged, 

 according to the species and the fastidiousness or other- 

 wise of the lady. Consequently the males have the 

 handsomer plumage, and they display it to the greatest 

 possible advantage before their lady love, who eventu- 

 ally selects the most virile and good-looking aspirant. 

 This is a provision of Nature to prevent deterioration 

 of the race. The female painted snipe is more 

 brightly coloured and larger than the male, and we 

 naturally seek for an explanation of this exception to 

 the general rule of the male bird being the hand- 

 somer. The probable explanation lies in the fact that 

 there are usually more females than males of this 

 species. 



I collected these birds at various seasons of the 

 year in Natal, and the females always predominated. 



3*35 



