Feathers 53 
commoner feels the call of love for beauty, and day by 
day the dusty brown tips of his throat-feathers wear 
away one by one, and leave exposed the clear black 
centres; and behold, the vulgar frequenter of our streets 
Fic. 35.—Two male English Sparrows, showing the difference in colour caused by 
wear of the feather-tips between October and April. 
and alleys, flaunts a jet cravat before the eyes of his lady- 
love! 
Colour. 
The very interesting uses which the colours of birds 
serve, the part they take in courtship, in evading danger, 
or in enabling birds to find each other, are many. These 
uses have been much written about, but of the nature 
and formation of colour less is known. Few of us have 
