Plumage and its Meaning 



on the globe." In studying protective colouring we must 

 always keep one point in mind above all others. A bird, 

 or a quadruped or a reptile, divorced from its usual haunts, 

 may be so brilliantly coloured as to attract the eye 

 inordinately, whereas the same creature in a state of 

 nature may by the very brilliancy of its hues be rendered 

 inconspicuous. 



The kingfisher, as he sits motionless on his bough above 

 the water watching intently for his finny prey, is wellnigh 

 invisible ; only when he takes to flight does he become 

 conspicuous. The brilliantly coloured sun-birds are almost 

 dazzling in their brilliancy when viewed as captives in 

 a cage, but flitting from one bright flower to another in 

 their native haunts they defy the detection of even the 

 keen-eyed hawk. 



When next we visit the Zoo or anywhere where there 

 is a large collection of birds let us note that green is the 

 prevailing colour, and, to carry our investigations a little 

 further, we may observe that nearly all these birds are 

 natives of tropical countries where the vegetation is always 

 green. Parrots, barbets, woodpeckers and some pigeons 

 are examples that come readily to mind. As we pass to 

 birds dwelling in more northern latitudes, we notice a 

 considerable sobering down of colour, greys and browns 

 predominating. Shore birds, moor birds, desert and marsh 

 birds are all coloured in such a manner as to harmonise 

 marvellously with their surroundings, and it does not require 

 any deep study to realise the truth of this assertion. 



In the game dealer's window the cock pheasant makes 

 a brave show he is one of the most gaily attired of our 

 native birds ; in his woodland haunts his bright hues 

 merge astonishingly into the general colour scheme of 

 the grass and russet leaves of the vegetation amongst 

 which he struts. The woodcock, as we have remarked 

 elsewhere, is wellnigh indistinguishable amongst the 

 bracken. The thrush, hopping over the tennis lawn, 

 pausing from time to time listening intently for the sound 



