COLOUR AND NIDIFICATION. 
169 
V Xv 
°bj ec , t - 
oW JOa bis Y ^ ew that many birds having both sexes 
tr 0t ^ lel y coloured build concealed nests. 14 The female 
{Buceros), for instance, of India and Africa 
^Protected, during nidification, with extraordinary 
Vl • the umle l'biister.s up the bole in wliicb the 
(: s *ts on her eggs, and leaves only a small orifice 
t) lisi "^ U which be feeds her; she is thus kept a close 
f.| j 1 ' r during the whole period of incubation; 15 yet 
t^^nbills are not more conspicuously coloured 
tie g t 8 ltlan y °^ ler birds of equal size which build open 
vi (% ' b, is a more serious objection to Mr. Wallace’s 
H a ] ( ’. as ls admitted by him, that in some few groups the 
ftt^ S (lre brilliantly coloured and the females obscure, 
f]i, s \ et the latter hatch their eggs in domed nests. 
Si|p ( ^ the case with the Grallime of Australia, the 
tl l6 Warblers (Maluridae) of the same country, 
A^'^irds (Nectarinim), and with several of the 
Indian Honey-suckers or Meliphagidas. 16 
? ^°ok to the birds of England wrn shall see that 
j 18 no close and general relation between the 
%, S the female and the nature of the nest con- 
dn.jj W by her. About forty of our British birds (ex- 
A those of large size which could defend them- 
V/ JU ‘bt in holes in banks, rocks, or trees, or con- 
( '° nie d nests. If we take the colours of the 
Of goldfinch, bullfinch, or blackbird, as a standard 
'W rr l ^ e 8 ree of conspicuousness, which is not highly 
H 
dbe sitting female, then out of the above 
u 'ds, the females of only twelve can be considered 
c >' t 
^PPcify, as instances of obscureiy-colotirod birds building 
., -riK. ,, tiie species belonging to eight Australian genera, 
k'fibj.j . tiie species belonging to eight Australian genera, 
jhfl, ("Onhl's ‘ Handbook of the Birds of Australia,’ vol. i. 
tr. ■ 244- 
j’ardn 365 ’. 38 3, 3S7, 389, 391, 414. 
‘h* ti"’ '.^'rds of India,’ vol. i. p. 5 
b'ldljQ ® Utdihcation and colours of these latter species, sec Gould s 
b & o-, vol. i. p. 504, 527. 
