CLOTHING OF ANIMALS 69 



protection that is so very remarkable in several 

 instances that will shortly be detailed. 



If we run briefly through some of the more 

 important groups of animals we find, starting 

 with the highest of all — the Mammals, which 

 includes man himself — that the body covering 

 consists of hair, fur, spines, and other outer cloth- 

 ing. In this connection may be mentioned the 

 hair of man himself, as well as Deer, Cattle, etc., 

 the fur upon the Fox and the Rabbit, the spines 

 upon the Hedgehog. 



We then come to one of the great trees of animal 

 life — our bird friends. These, as we all know, are 

 clothed in feathers, and these again are of various 

 kinds and colours. For example, the Kingfisher 

 is our most beautiful British bird, and contrary to 

 most birds, both sexes are equally gorgeous. 



The well-known Warbler family, which includes 

 such renowned songsters as the Nightingale, Black- 

 cap, Garden Warbler, and others, are very plainly 

 clad. Their sombre dress often surprises the lay- 

 man, who expects to see a bird which is capable of 

 pouring out such delightful minstrelsy, such an 

 outburst of passionate and soul-inspiring music, 

 clothed in all the colours of the rainbow! It is 

 the rule, rather than the exception, that birds of 

 sombre colouring are to be numbered among the 

 finest song birds, whilst birds of brilliant plumage, 

 such as the Kingfisher, the Bird of Paradise, the 



