COLOR IN ANIMALS 119 



23), and the jungle fowl from which our domestic fowl 

 are descended (Plate 16, A), all of which are colored more 

 or less like the sparrows and have a similar habitat. Think 

 of the snipe tribe, including the shore birds like the sand- 

 pipers, the curlew, and the woodcock. The woodcock in 

 its native haunts is almost invisible (Plate 50). I have 

 shot scores of them, yet have never but once seen one of 

 them upon the ground, and this too in spite of the fact 

 that I have had a dog with me on all of my shooting trips, 

 and he would stand pointing the bird, often for a long time 

 before the bird would rise. 



The bright green color of some tropical birds, like cer- 

 tain of the parrots, is to them a most effective protection. 

 In Jamaica there is a small bright green bird, the "green 

 tody." While spending a summer in zoological study in 

 Jamaica I wanted to shoot one and bring home its skin 

 to show as an illustration of protective color. Often when 

 out with my gun I heard the faint piping whistle of one 

 of these little fellows and searched carefully for him, but 

 always without success. They rarely fly when one is near 

 them, seeming instinctively to rely for protection upon their 

 color while they remain motionless among the green leaves. 

 Once I thought I was at last to be successful, for I located 

 a tody in a drooping branch of a tree where I could walk 

 all around him and thoroughly inspect the whole branch. 

 Yet, though I came within six feet of the branch, peering 

 among the leaves in every part, I could not recognize the 

 bird. Finally I drew away about five rods and fired into 

 the branch, but the bird escaped, for I fired too high. He 

 had been within six feet of my eyes during the whole of 

 my closest search. (See also Plate 51.) 



