NATURE STUDY IvE.SSONS. 137 



If we watch a nuthatch, as he runs up and down the 

 trunks of the trees, we shall see that his color also is won- 

 derfuU}' adapted to his surroundings. Even the white 

 stripes on the sides of his head and neck help to hide him, 

 for, as he moves quickly about, they look almost exactly 

 like flashes of sunlight glancing through the branches of 

 the trees and falling on the brown and gray objects around 

 him. 



The Chickadees and the Kinglets, too, have coats that 

 agree well with the general effect of the trees in winter. 

 The former show narrow stripes of w^hite, and the latter 

 have bits of orange or ruby on their heads, that their friends 

 may know them, for they are fond of being in company. 

 But none of these '.' recognition marks," as they are called, 

 is very conspicuous, and probably affords little aid to their 

 enemies. 



The Snow Bunting is a fine example of color protection. 

 His dirty white coat helps him in the most contrary situa- 

 tions. On the brown, bare ground in winter time, he can- 

 not be distinguished from sticks and stones at a little dis- 

 tance away, while on the snow he can scarcely be seen at 

 all. 



The Bluejays appear at first thought to present a marked 

 exception to the general rule of silence and protective col- 

 oration. They are often extremely noisy, and their blue 

 coats would seem to make them conspicuous. But a little 

 observation of their habits wnll show that nature has not 

 forced them to take unnecessary chances. They go 

 in flocks and each individual is constantly on the watch. 

 The moment an enemy is discovered, an alarm is given, 

 they scatter a little and alight in the tops of the trees, where 

 their blue coats, against the blue of a winter sky, renders 

 them almost invisible. Any one who has tried to find them 

 after they have been disturbed, knows how difficult a thing 

 it is. So they are wonderfully protected after all. 



