354 OUR RARER BIRDS 



reversed. Throughout the whole order of birds there are few 

 in which the female is more brilliantly attired than the male. 

 In our own country the instances are exceptionally rare. The 

 Phalarope and the Dotterel are the only two which may be said 

 to conform to this law. Both these birds build open nests 

 in more or less exposed situations ; but curiously enough the 

 more brightly adorned female does not sit, and upon the less 

 showy male devolves the task of incubating the eggs \ In 

 various other parts of the world birds are to be found to 

 illustrate this singular law, but no better illustrations can be 

 given. 



Let us now pass on to our second great group of birds in 

 which both sexes are brilliantly adorned. One of our most 

 striking instances is to be found in the refulgent Kingfisher. 

 In this species the sexes are alike in colour, and remarkably 

 beautiful and conspicuous. How does Nature shield the 

 sitting-bird during the nesting period ? Why has she allowed 

 such brilliant tints to be developed in the female? By 

 sending the Kingfisher to a hole in a bank to lay her eggs 

 and rear her young in darkness, Nature provides most 

 admirably for the safety of this feathered gem. The gaily- 

 dressed Woodpeckers, the Titmice, the Starling, the Swallow, 

 and the Martin, all have the sexes alike in colour or nearly 

 so all are conspicuous, showy birds, and all rear their young 

 in holes, where the bright and showy female is hidden from 

 view during the trying days of incubation. The naturalist 

 will find certain exceptions to the rule, but throughout the 

 birds of the world, where both sexes are brilliantly adorned, 

 the nest is either domed or in a hole, where the conspicuous 

 sitting-bird is concealed effectually from enemies. 



We next briefly glance at a group of birds in which both 

 sexes are dull and sombre, that build covered nests from other 

 motives of safety than concealment. The Swift and the Sand 

 Martin are both dull-plumaged birds, the sexes are alike in 



