File:Birds through the year (1922) (14755447475).jpg

Identifier: birdsthroughyear00thom (find matches)
Title: Birds through the year
Year: 1922 (1920s)
Authors: Thomas, William Beach, Sir, 1868-1957 Collet, Anthony Keeling, 1877-
Subjects: Birds -- Great Britain Birds -- Pictorial works
Publisher: London, Edinburgh, T.C. and E.C. Jack, ltd
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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s which moult twice and even three times in the year, buthas rubbed off the protective nap which hid his native colour.By such process does the chaffinch and others, too, makethemselves glitter finely in the spring. But the livery doesnot keep its salient freshness very long. As summeradvances, the cock-sparrow that had been peacocking ingorgeous superiority to his mate steadily sobers down tillthe difference, though obvious, is not striking, and neitheris very much superior in looks. Such a blurring is quitevisible even to the casual eye on the cock-starling, and to aless extent on the pigeons. When the change begins to come over these birds theydo not conspicuously lose vitality, as birds do in the moult,though they and all birds show a diminution of energy whensummer succeeds to spring. A more thorough and over-whelming experience befalls a bird which also may often bewatched in towns more easily than in the wilds of nature.The mallard, or male wild duck, is the outstanding example
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SUMMER LIVERIES 241 of eclipse plumage. The wedding feathers of the maleare very splendid. The green is more brilliant than thelaurel leaves, and the white flashes stand out more distincton wing and neck than sprays of bloom. Head and wing,and breast and back are all burnished. Male and femalemight be members of different species. With the growth offine feathers he is strong on the wing, and enjoys long boutsof flight. But the duck nests early; and when summercomes the young are already capable movers. The mallardthen suffers a sort of collapse. He moults in thorough

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