CONSIDERATION OF BRITISH BIRDS 109 
of females and young would be useless, because 
at night it would be invisible to enemies. 
Birds of Song.—See Table III. 
In these birds, female protection is accom- 
plished by means of the attracting songs of 
the males. The young are protected by the 
parents rendering themselves conspicuous in 
other ways; among these birds, the best 
examples of sacrificing and combative instincts 
and attracting motions and sounds, for the 
protection of young, are to be found. 
Other Birds.—See Table IV. 
The absence of conspicuous colouring in 
these birds cannot in all cases be explained. 
In the Divers, protection of young is not 
necessary, as these birds have always a re- 
treat at their feet—the water. Others are in 
reality birds of song, although not so placed, 
z.e. the Curlew, the Whimbrel, Redshank, 
Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, the Doves, 
and the Wryneck. Some inhabit thick under- 
growths, where conspicuous colours would 
not tell—Corncrake, Water-rail, and Hedge 
Sparrow. 
In the Partridge, the young are protected 
by attracting movements of the parents, which 
in this bird are remarkable; but there seems 
to be no provision for the protection of the 
