CHAPTER XII. 



CONCERNING EYES. 



WHITE, crimson, emerald green, shining golden 

 yellow, are amongst the colours seen in the eyes of 

 birds. In owls, herons, cormorants, and many 

 other tribes, the brightly-tinted eye is incomparably 

 the finest feature and chief glory. It fixes the at- 

 tention at once, appearing like a splendid gem, for 

 which the airy bird-body, with its graceful curves 

 and soft tints, forms an appropriate setting. When 

 the eye closes in death, the bird, except to the 

 naturalist, becomes a mere bundle of dead feathers; 

 crystal globes may be put into the empty sockets, 

 and a bold life-imitating attitude given to the 

 stuffed specimen ; but the vitreous orbs shoot 

 forth no life-like flames, the " passion and the fire 

 whose fountains are within " have vanished, and 

 the best work of the taxidermist, who has given a 

 life to his bastard art, produces in the mind only 

 sensations of irritation and disgust. In museums, 

 where limited space stands in the way of any abor- 

 tive attempts at copying nature too closely, the 

 stuff er's work is endurable because useful ; but in 

 a drawing-room, who does not close his eyes or 

 turn aside to avoid seeing a case of stuffed birds 



