CHAPTER X 



PARENTAL AND SEXUAL CHARACTERS 



MENTION has been made that among birds, 

 for instance, there are many which do not 

 present conspicuous colouring, in either sex. 

 It has also been shown (under parental 

 instincts) how these birds protect their 

 young by making themselves conspicuous 

 other than by means of colour ; similarly 

 it has been noted that female protection 

 is accomplished in these birds by pre-copu- 

 latory displays on the part of the male, 

 quite apart from colour. In these crypti- 

 cally coloured birds, another male character 

 is also possibly used for female protection, 

 namely Song. 



The production of sounds during pre- 

 copulatory displays are obviously a part of 

 the display. But the songs of birds cannot 

 be thus classed. 



Singing birds are conspicuous in nature, 



