Identifier: birdlifeguid00chap (find matches)
Title: Bird-life; a guide to the study of our common birds
Year: 1898 (1890s)
Authors: Chapman, Frank M. (Frank Michler), 1864-1945 Seton, Ernest Thompson, 1860-1946
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: New York, D. Appleton and company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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Fig. 22.—Curved bill of female, straight bill of male Huia-bird. (i/2 natural size.) between the form of the bill and feeding habits is fur-nished by the Huia-bird of New Zealand. The male ofthis species has a comparatively short, straight bill, while7 34 FORM AND HABIT: THE BILL. that of the female is long and curved. The birds feedon larvae, which they find in dead wood. The malehammers and chisels away the wood very much as Wood-peckers do, while the female uses her bill as a probe.We have, therefore, the singular case of two forms ofthe bill arising in the same species as a result of or caus-ing a corresponding difference in habit.
Text Appearing After Image:
Plate X. Pages 87, 98, 99. COMMON TERN. (Length, i^OO inches.) SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. SEMIPALMATED PLOVER. (Length, 6-jo inches.) (Length, 6.yj inches.) CHAPTEK III. COLOES OF BIRDS.* The almost endless range of variation in the colorsand pattern of coloration of birds plumage has attractedthe attention of many philosophic naturalists. Why, forexample, should birds from some regions always bedarker than those from other regions; why shouldground-inhabiting birds generally wear a dull or neutraltinted costume; and why should the male, with few ex-ceptions, be brighter than the female ? For answer I will outline some of the leading factsand theories in connection with this interesting subject.In the first place, however, it will be necessary for us tohave some idea of the extent of individual change incolor, that is, the various phases of color, which a birdmay pass through during different periods of its life.f * Consult Poulton, Colors of Animals (D. Appleton & Co.). Gadow,in New

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