. The bird, its form and function. Birds. Tails 421 the classic form of a lyre; while twelve of the central feathers, so scantily barbed that their stems are plainly visible, hold positions corresponding to the strings of that ancient instrument. The two elongated middle feathers cross each other and curve outward, adding still more to the decorative effect of this strangely beautiful member. Naturall}' we find that these birds are better runners than fliers. The females lack the or- namental tail. If we judge from analogy with the human race, when an inordinate amount of ostenta- tious show i
. The bird, its form and function. Birds. Tails 421 the classic form of a lyre; while twelve of the central feathers, so scantily barbed that their stems are plainly visible, hold positions corresponding to the strings of that ancient instrument. The two elongated middle feathers cross each other and curve outward, adding still more to the decorative effect of this strangely beautiful member. Naturall}' we find that these birds are better runners than fliers. The females lack the or- namental tail. If we judge from analogy with the human race, when an inordinate amount of ostenta- tious show is noticeable among birds, we occasionally find that it is, in a sense, a sham display; although the analogy ceases when we find that such a case among birds is no less interesting than where the phenomenon is really what it appears to be. Upon seeing a specimen of the beau- tiful trogon commonly called the Quezal, the involuntary ex- clamation is, " What a magnificent tail!" And no wonder; for, while the bird is only about the size of a small dove, behind it, for three and a half feet, there stream long^ iridescent green plumes, soft as down, brilliant as emeralds! Yet the true tail is a short, squarish affair, completely. Fig. 337.—Tail-(o\erts of Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Beebe, William, 1877-1962. New York, Holt
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1906
