File:The bird, its form and function (1906) (14569113149).jpg

Identifier: birditsformfuncti00beeb (find matches)
Title: The bird, its form and function
Year: 1906 (1900s)
Authors: Beebe, William, 1877-1962
Subjects: Birds -- Anatomy Birds -- Physiology
Publisher: New York, H. Holt and company
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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^ Whether or not birds really appreciate the value ofthe protective colour of their plumage, it is certain thata quail or ptarmigan will remain crouching on a brownbit of turf, until all hope of evading danger is gone; whilebirds which are very evidently not protectively colouredare invariably more wary and difficult of approach. When
Text Appearing After Image:
Fio. 239.-Seven young Flickers clinging to a tree. (R. H. Beebe, photographer.) 302 The Bird a ptarmigan, while yet in the brown garb of summer,is exposed against a hillside of snow, it becomes verywary. It is interesting, in this connection, to observe how aNighthawk carries out its colour resemblance to a knotor a rough piece of bark, by perchiyg, not crosswise, butlengthwise, along a branch or fallen tree-trunk. A volume might easily be written of the various waysin which protective coloration works out among birds,but there is so great a difference of opinion, and indeedso many exceptions to every theory which may be ad-vanced, that it is better, for the most part, to go to Naturewithout a priori theories, and putting ourselves as nearlyas possible in the position of the creatures themselves,to hope for better ability to see with their eyes. Andit is right along this line that we most need fresh dataand experiments, namely, the actual ability of birdsand insects to distinguish sha

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