Fig. 116. Imitation Egret without plunics- 

 nhotocraphed against white (subetitutM tor 

 skv). to show that the shadows which 

 reveal the form come at the very pomtg 

 normally covered, at the breeding-s^fton, 

 by the so-called ^'nuptial" plumes, Th^ 

 points are indicated by the arrows. The- 

 knife-like thinness of the throat, where 

 plumes would incommode him, largely 

 obviates the need of them at this pointy 

 by minimizing the shadow. 



Fig. 117. Imitation Kgretiu nuptial dit".s, 

 photographed against black, to show the- 

 position of the pTunies. 



Fig. 118 a, A is a section of the Egret. B" 

 the root-like plumes, f the dark under side- 

 which they hide. The part of a heron's 

 neck that uormally bends backward as he- 

 stands has the roofs rUlge-pole in fronf, and 

 the enves behind. 



Fig. 118. Imitation Egret in nuptial jjIu- 

 mage, photographed against white, showing 

 the effect of the plumes in effacing the shad- 

 ows, thus rendering the bird almost invisible- 

 when seen against the sky. This is achieved 

 on the model, as on a real Egret, in the only 

 conceivable way : the plumes extend down- 

 ward and outward like a roof between the- 

 beholder's eye and the shadow to be covered. 

 Because of this roof-like position, they stay 

 illuminated throughout their whole length, 

 and interpose their bright fringe between 

 the beholder and the shadowed uiidersides 

 of the neck and body. The fact that these 

 fringes cj-oss the bird's contour, and /oWoiu 

 that of the vegetation in which he stands, 

 greatly helps the concealment. White fluffs 

 or fringes of this genei-al character, screening. 

 the too deeply shadowed ahdomival space, 

 between the legs, are very common among^ 

 birds and mammals. 



