264 



Bird - Lore 



weed out any bright-colored females, should they arise, by drawing attention 

 to their nests and inviting the destruction of their offspring. The very ex- 

 ceptions to the rule further substantiate it, for when bright colors are normal 

 to the female, as in the Kingfisher and Red-headed Woodpecker, nature pro- 

 tects the offspring by causing the eggs to be laid in holes in trees or in tunnels 

 in the bank where the female is entirely hidden from sight while incubating. 

 Another method of protecting conspicuously colored birds is by endowing 

 them with extreme wariness and it is seldom that any of them will allow as 



close an approach as do their dull- 

 colored mates or relatives. They 

 seem to realize that they are con- 

 spicuous and rely upon their alert- 

 ness to escape. Moreover, is it not 

 of direct benefit to the species that 

 there should be a conspicuous de- 

 coy to lure away from the vicinity 

 of the nest any enemy that passes 

 that way? — for even should the 

 male be seen and captured, the off- 

 spring might still persist. 



Brilliancy of plumage probably 

 originates, we are told, because of 

 an excess of strength and bodily 

 vigor, and this fact undoubtedly 

 tends to perpetuate and increase 

 the brilliancy, whenever the bright 

 colors are not directly disadvan- 

 tageous to the species, because the 

 vigorous bird is most likely to se- 

 cure the best mate and have the 

 strongest offspring. It may well be 

 asked, then, why the males of all 

 species are not conspicuously col- 

 ored and able to rely upon their wits 

 to escape their enemies. But think 

 for a moment of the environments 

 which birds are called upon to fill. 

 There are the tree tops and the great open spaces where enemies cannot lurk 

 unseen, and here it is that we find the conspicuous Tanagers, Trogons, and 

 Honey Creepers, the Gulls, Terns, Herons, and Flamingoes. On the other hand, 

 there are the thickets and dense coverts near the ground where enemies can 

 approach closely or lie concealed, and here it is that we find our most protec- 

 tively colored Grouse, Woodcocks, Sparrows, etc. Thus it is clear why the 



MALE ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK FEEDING ITS 



YOUNG 



When the male and female differ in color the young usually 



resemble the female — as in this case 



