CHAPTER III. 



COLORS OF BIRDS.* 



THE almost endless range of variation in the colors 

 and pattern of coloration of birds' plumage has attracted 

 the attention of many philosophic naturalists. Why, for 

 example, should birds from some regions always be 

 darker than those from other regions ; why should 

 ground-inhabiting birds generally wear a dull or neutral 

 tinted costume ; and why should the male, with few ex- 

 ceptions, be brighter than the female ? 



For answer I will outline some of the leading facts 

 and theories in connection with this interesting subject. 

 In the first place, however, it will be necessary for us to 

 have some idea of the extent of individual change in 

 color, that is, the various phases of color, which a bird 

 may pass through during different periods of its life.f 



* Consult Poulton, Colors of Animals (D. Appleton & Co.). Gadow, 

 in Newton's Dictionary of Birds articles, Color and Feathers. Bed- 

 dard, Animal Coloration (Macmillan Co.). Keeler, Evolution of the 

 Colors of North American Land Birds ; occasional papers, California 

 Academy of Sciences (San Francisco), iii, 1893. Also Allen, reviews 

 of last two works, The Auk (New York city), x, 1893, pp. 189-199, 

 373-380. Allen, Alleged Changes of Color in the Feathers of Birds 

 without Molting ; Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural His- 

 tory, New York city, viii, 1896, pp. 13-44. Chadbourne, Individual 

 Dichromatism in the Screech Owl ; The Auk, xiii, 1896, pp. 321-325, 

 and xiv, 1897, pp. 33-39, one plate. 



f The term color, as here used, means practically the plumage or 

 dress of birds. 



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