CHAPTER VI 



COLORATION 



In the matter of their coloration, as well as in the structural 

 characters of their external covering, young birds differ 

 more from their parents than is the case with the mammals, 

 exceptions apart. As touching this matter of structural 

 characters more will be said presently ; but for the 

 moment our conversation must be of coloration, wherein, 

 it is curious to note, birds present what is reaUy a singular 

 agreement one with another : an agreement which goes 

 far to show that among birds, in their early post-embryonic 

 stages of development, a longitudinally striped livery has 

 been almost universal, at any rate for an immense period 

 of time, if not throughout practically the whole course of 

 their evolution. 



There will be no need to labour this point ; it wiU become 

 manifest, and that speedily, to all who care to take the 

 trouble to examine the facts. We shall find, too, in this 

 review, that the facts in regard to this coloration are to 

 be divided into two groups. In the one we shall have 

 aU that pertains to the general coloration of the body as 

 a whole, wherein the dominant note is the obliteration of 

 ancient birthmarks ; in the other will be found a series 

 of records of the evolution of new characters in the form 

 of head ornaments. 



It is significant that among nestHng birds this longi- 

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