would not be able in the dark, to see 

 their prey at a very great distance. 



Speaking of the large wings of these 

 birds, and their particular importance, 

 reminds me that the wings of birds pre- 

 sent almost as many modifications as do 

 the feet or bill, each exemplifying this 

 principle of adaptation. 



The Apterix and the Ostrich present 

 the merest rudiments of wings, their 

 habits being such as never to call forth 

 the exercise of these organs. Should 

 these same habits continue the time is 

 not far distant when these rudiments of 

 wings would altos^ether disappear. 



The Auks, unlike other water birds, 

 use their wings to aid them in swim- 

 ming, which accounts for the paddle- 

 like stub of a wing which they possess. 



The Grebes and Coots, water birds 

 that fly but little, have very small wings, 

 while birds with remarkable power of 

 flight, like the Gulls, have large wings, 

 as well as large wing muscles, which 

 fact was pointed out earlier in this ar- 

 ticle. 



Can it be that an explanation may be 

 found in this principle of adaptation, for 

 the fact that our common Turkey-buz- 

 zard has no feathers on his head? I 

 think so. It is quite plausible at least 

 to conclude that, inasmuch as these birds 

 live on putrid flesh, the feathers about 

 the head would become saturated with 

 stench, and to prevent which. Nature 

 has taken these feathers away, so that 

 now these birds go about with but a 

 minimum stench to tell of the scaven- 

 ger's life which they lead. 



Last but not the least important phase 

 of this subject of which I shall speak 

 is that which pertains to the coloring of 

 birds. Here every variety and combina- 

 tion of color may be found, and since 

 these colors harmonize as a rule with 

 the bird's environment, we conclude all 

 this would be a response of nature to 

 the bird's demand for protection. I 

 shall try to point out some of the more 

 general facts to be learned in reference 

 to these adaptations of color. 



It will be observed that those birds 

 that are found mostly on the ground — 

 the Lark, Sparrows and Quail, for ex- 



ample — have the ground color, a sort of 

 grayish-brown. Water birds are a slate- 

 gray color. The throat and breast of 

 the Herons are streaked to harmonize 

 with the reeds among which they are 

 wont to stand in wait for their food. 

 Birds that frequent the treetops, for ex- 

 ample, the warblers, are olive-green 

 above and whitish — sometimes yellowish 

 — beneath, the former harmonizing with 

 the leaves and protecting the bird from 

 hawks or other enemies above, and the 

 white and yellow harmonizing with the 

 summer sky and protecting him from 

 enemies below. Creepers and Wood- 

 peckers that frequent the trunks of 

 trees have that combination of colors 

 that harmonize with the lichen-covered 

 bark. The color of the Sandpipers har- 

 monizes with the sandy-pebbled beach, 

 their home. And so each species of bird 

 has its own peculiar adaptation. 



Now I have treated this subject only 

 in a v^ry general way, for I have called 

 attention only to the more conspicuous 

 examples — those that may readily be 

 seen by the ordinary observer. There 

 are countless details or minor facts 

 bearing upon the subject that might be 

 added, but this is not supposed to be a 

 scientific treatise, and so I shall not run 

 the risk of being tedious by going into 

 further discussion. I have tried to show 

 that all these innumerable modifications 

 of bird anatomy are due to character, 

 habit, or environment, and that given 

 any bird, by observing certain promi- 

 nent characteristics, we are enabled to 

 know many essential things about the 

 life of that bird. The importance of 

 these facts will be readily appreciated by 

 those who would make any systematic 

 study of birds ; and it is hoped that what 

 has been said will arouse a greater in- 

 terest in our feathered friends. It is not 

 a knowledge of bird anatomy merely 

 that is recommended, for this is import- 

 ant only as it stimulates our observation 

 and furthers our understanding of bird 

 life, so that we may find genuine plea- 

 sure in the sight of birds and be moved 

 by the beauty of their song. 



W. O. Headlee. 



92 



