CHAPTER III 



DECORATION IN BIRDS 



The Splendid Sun-bird. 



The difference in the colouring of the sexes— Evolution of Species— 

 Sun-birds — Birds of Paradise — Lyre-birds — Motmots — Puffins — 

 The methods by which Birds acquire their plumage. 



The decoration of a bird is, as a rule, confined to the 

 adult male. The females and the young birds are soberly- 

 coloured in comparison with the plumage of the old male, 

 and that this is the general rule throughout the Class Aves 

 is a well-known fact. As will be seen, however, later on, 

 there are some remarkable exceptions, in which the female 

 has the pre-eminence in ornamentation. The acquisition 

 of brighter colours by the male, usually so pronounced in 

 birds, probably depends upon sexual selection in the past, 



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