. Birds and nature . rabbit—examples of natures parallels, which arenever repetitions. Another adaption found in the eyes ofalmost all nocturnal birds is the great sizeof the orbit, fully one half of the skull beinghollowed out to receive the eyeballs. Nodegeneration of the eyes, as a result of noc- owner to all but look through the back ofits head. Although eyelashes, as we understandthem, are merely stiffened hairs which havebeen inherited from hairy-coated ancestors,yet among birds we sometimes find lashessimilar in appearance and function, butstructurally derived from feathers. Theostrich
. Birds and nature . rabbit—examples of natures parallels, which arenever repetitions. Another adaption found in the eyes ofalmost all nocturnal birds is the great sizeof the orbit, fully one half of the skull beinghollowed out to receive the eyeballs. Nodegeneration of the eyes, as a result of noc- owner to all but look through the back ofits head. Although eyelashes, as we understandthem, are merely stiffened hairs which havebeen inherited from hairy-coated ancestors,yet among birds we sometimes find lashessimilar in appearance and function, butstructurally derived from feathers. Theostrich has well-developed eyelashes, whichmust be of value in helping to exclude thedust of the desert; but why such birds ashornbills and the Seriema should possessthem we cannot say. Most, if not all, plumes and crests onbirds are probably ornamental, and, sincemany are more highly developed in themale sex and at breeding-time, we mustconclude that they are of value in attractingand holding the attention of the females. Portrait of a Demoiselle Crane A Dandy in E-very Line. turnal habits, is recorded among birds, suchas exists in moles and bats. The eyes of the woodcock show an in-teresting adaptation to its habits. The birdfeeds at night in marshes, probing the mudfor w^orms, and, being in frequent dangerof attack from owls or other foes, it hasneed of constant vigilance. So we find thatits eyes, which are large and lustrous, areplaced far back on its head, and also upnear the top of the skull. Useless in guid-ing the bird in its search for food, they havebecome altered in size and position, and sobest fulfill their function of aiding their during the period of courtship. What a list of these crests we may com-pile in a walk through a zoological park!The photographs show the grace and deli-cacy of these feathers, to which words canadd nothing. Concealed crests bring tomind the Kingbird and the Ruby-crownedKinglet, both of which derive their namesfrom their crowns of ruby. It is s
Size: 1877px × 1331px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, books, booksubjectnaturalhistory
