BIRDS AT THEIR BEST 15 



usually attractive aspect of the bird, or a very- 

 much better than the ordinary one. This may 

 result from a fortunate conjunction of circum- 

 stances, or may be due to a peculiar harmony 

 between the creature and its surroundings ; or 

 in some instances, as in that given above of the 

 Dartford warbler, to a rare effect of the sun. In 

 still other cases, motions and antics, rarely seen, 

 singularly graceful, or even grotesque, may give 

 the best impression. After one such impression 

 has been received, another equally excellent may 

 follow at a later date : in that case the second 

 impression does not obhterate, or is not superim- 

 posed upon the former one ; both remain as 

 permanent possessions of the mind, and we may 

 thus have several mental pictures of the same 

 species. 



It is the same with all minds with regard to 

 the objects and scenes which happen to be of 

 special interest. The following illustration will 

 serve to make the matter clearer to readers who 

 are not accustomed to pay attention to their own 

 mental processes. When any common object, 

 such as a chair, or spade, or apple, is thought of 

 or spoken of, an image or a picture of it instantly 



