23 shows the bird, with the general shade of its back artificially extended over 

 its sides and belly, posed to simulate as nearly as possible the attitude of the 

 live bird on its nest represented in Fig. 22. The contrast between the two, 

 as to conspicuousness, is most pronounced.* 



No clearer elucidation could be devised of the pattern-principle in ques- 

 tion than is furnished by the photographs of live Woodcock and Snipe (Figs. 

 20-22 and 25-26). The imitation of the larger details of the squatting 

 bird's near background is exquisitely perfect, particularly in Figs. 22 and 

 25. Dead leaves, twigs, and grasses, variously disposed over shadow-holes, 

 in a near view, are the main components of the pattern-pictures which 

 such birds wear. Because they are strictly terrestrial and rather sedentary, 

 in time of danger usually squatting motionless on the ground, and allowing 

 enemies to approach them very closely before they fly, they are almost always 

 seen against a comparatively near portion of the ground-plane, and hardly 

 ever against a highly diversified forest landscape. Hence a picturing in 

 slight reduction of the simpler ground-pattern of leaves and twigs, etc., com- 

 mon to all the bogs and coverts which these birds inhabit, is all that is needed 

 for the complete 'obliteration' of their counter-shaded bodies. 



Many other examples of this class of background-picturing could be cited, 

 but the ones already given will sufiice. That most beautifully patterned bird, 

 the European Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola), belongs in a distinctly different 

 class, and will be considered later on. 



* These four pictures (Figs. 22-24B) are reproduced from the article in the Auk mentioned in 

 our preface. 



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