106 THE LOG OF THE SUN 



off with a spurless, half-plumaged young cock! 



The males of many birds, such as the scarlet 

 tanager and the indigo bunting, assume during 

 the winter the sombre green or brown hue of the 

 female, changing in spring to a glorious scarlet 

 and black, or to an exquisite indigo colour re- 

 spectively. Not only do most of the females of 

 the feathered world retain their dull coats 

 throughout the year, but some deface even this 

 to form feather beds for the precious eggs and 

 nestlings, to protect which bright colours must 

 be entirely foregone. 



The spring is the time when decorations are 

 seen at their best. The snowy egret trails his 

 filmy cloud of plumes, putting to shame the stiff 

 millinery bunches of similar feathers torn from 

 his murdered brethren. Even the awkward and 

 querulous night heron exhibits a long curling 

 plume or two. And what a strange criterion of 

 beauty a female white pelican must have ! To be 

 sure, the graceful crest which Sir Pelican erects 

 is beautiful, but that huge, horny "keel" or 

 "sight" on his bill! What use can it subserve, 

 aesthetic or otherwise? One would think that 

 such a structure growing so near his eyes, and 

 day by day becoming taller, must occupy much of 

 his attention. 



The sheldrake ducks also have a fleshy growth 

 on the bill. A turkey gobbler, when his vernal 

 wedding dress is complete, is indeed a remarkable 



