CHAPTER IX. 



FINE FEATHERS AND FINE BIRDS. 



WHATEVER justification there is in a 

 world of men (and women) for the 

 popular belief that fine feathers make 

 fine birds, there is more of sound than wisdom to 

 substantiate the catch-phrase in relation to the birds 

 themselves. In any case, you must first be sure of 

 the relative value of the adjective. 



There are those fortunate souls who rejoice in the 

 view that all birds have their fine points, the only 

 distinction to be drawn being a matter of degree. 

 They will direct you to the fact that the absence of 

 bright feathers matters not at all to birds of con- 

 sistently plain dress, in which class are included 

 original merry-makers and jesters and the most 

 distinguished of the world's songsters fine birds, 

 to be sure! 



Nevertheless, it is not safe to dogmatise in 

 another direction, as poor Lindsay Gordon did in 

 striking that false, still-echoing note regarding the 

 "songless bright birds" of the land of his adoption. 

 That many of Australia's song-birds are modestly 

 garbed is true enough, but there are several others 

 gifted with plumage no less rich and challenging 



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