414 The Bird 
escape from danger. Again, the theory has been advanced 
that these white patches merge with the sky when the rab- 
bit or deer makes the first high frantic leap to escape an 
assailant, the white spots thus tending to confuse the 
creature making the attack. We are, however, far from 
certain whether any such interpretations can be applied 
to those birds, such as the Junco, the Meadowlark, and 
the Vesper Sparrow, which have the lateral feathers of 
the tail white; but in these 
cases the first theory seems 
at least more probable, as 
these birds live in flocks and 
in a more or less open en- 
vironment, where such a sig- 
nal would have the greatest 
chance for use. When a 
Junco is upon the ground, 
its black and gray plumage 
renders it very inconspicu- 
Fic. 329.—Tail of Junco. ous, but the instant it takes 
to wing, out flashes the white V in its tail. 
We have seen that not a portion of the external parts 
of the bird has escaped, in one species or another, being 
utilized for ornament; generally, as well as we can tell, 
as some decoration to attract or charm the female. Tails 
bear even more than their share of adornment, which we 
cannot pass by without mention, although, as dealing with 
the psychological side of bird life, any discussion of this 
question is outside the province of this volume. Some- 
times it is only some slight addition to the feathers of 
