HUMMING-BIRDS. 
69 
at the beginning of spring, or at the time when the 
business of reproduction commences. This is marked 
either by a greater brilliancy, or by the appearance of 
rich ruffs, crests, or some additional appendage of the 
skin or feathere. After the first months of the love 
season have passed, these are lost, and at the au- 
tumnal moult, the plumage is thickened, and com- 
mences the preparation for a sufficient clothing in win- 
ter, and a display of splendour for the ensuing spring. 
Among our native birds, we have constant ami 
familiar examples of this, though perhaps they are 
not always noticed. The Chaffinch loses the brown 
tips to the feathers on his crown, and they become 
a rich and beautiful blue ; the Linnet those of his 
breast, which assume a lovely crimson tint. The 
Snow Bunting, so common on the wild moors dur- 
ing winter, from a pleasing brown changes to a pure 
black and white. The Heron and Lapwing gain their 
beautiful crests, the former liLs pendent breast-fea- 
thers, and the Egrets receive their valuable orna- 
ments. The numerous tribes of Bustards, Plovers, 
and Sandpipers, are some of the most remarkable for 
the distinct variation of their colours. The lower 
parts of the males, in almost all the species of the 
two first groups, assume a deep and glossy black 
while in the Sandpipers, bright shades of chestnut 
brown are the emblems that the season of incuba- 
tion has commenced, and in one singular instance, 
the variable ruff reminds us of the Ruff-necked Hum- 
ming-birds. Among the web-footed water-fowl we 
