FIELD-DAYS IN CALIFORNIA 



to my eye, as I had met with the species hitherto 

 only in spring, when it not only wears a different 

 coat, but has black legs. To dress according to 

 age and season is as much a rule with many 

 birds, especially water-birds, as it is with human 

 kind. If the custom has no other advantage, it at 

 least renders field ornithology a far more intri- 

 cate and therefore a more interesting study. 



In spring, too, there is a more pronounced 

 difference between the sexes, the female phala- 

 rope, which is a full size larger than the male, 

 being also, as with human beings, much the 

 more showily attired. It is reported, likewise 

 (at which point, needless to say, the human 

 comparison fails), that she lords it effectually 

 over her mate, throwing upon his shoulders all 

 the burden — no light one — of the household 

 drudgery. 



"You are more protectively colored," she is 

 supposed to say to him, " and therefore the eggs 

 and the darling little ones wUl be safer if you 

 attend to the brooding." 



A wise bird, you perceive, is the female phala- 

 rope, a very thoughf ul and affectionate mother. 

 And the male, by all accounts, is so impressed 

 by her reasoning, or so deeply in love, or other- 

 wise of so amiable a temper, that he raises not 

 the least objection. 



50 



