. The bird, its form and function . FlG. 278.—Spur-winged Goose. ince of this volume, mention should be made of the inten-tional use of the wings as instruments of sound,—to at-tract the females, as in our Ruffed Grouse and other little Bush Warbler of Africa has indeed never been heardto utter a note, seeming to depend upon an occasionalwhirr of wings, in Ueu even of the usual call-note or chirp. 348 The Bird In the woodcock we find the vane of the three outerprimaries of the wing remarkably narrowed and stiffened;probably a direct adaptation for the production of thehigh, whistling s
. The bird, its form and function . FlG. 278.—Spur-winged Goose. ince of this volume, mention should be made of the inten-tional use of the wings as instruments of sound,—to at-tract the females, as in our Ruffed Grouse and other little Bush Warbler of Africa has indeed never been heardto utter a note, seeming to depend upon an occasionalwhirr of wings, in Ueu even of the usual call-note or chirp. 348 The Bird In the woodcock we find the vane of the three outerprimaries of the wing remarkably narrowed and stiffened;probably a direct adaptation for the production of thehigh, whistling sound which plays so important a partin its aerial courtship Fig. 279.—Wing ornaments of Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise. As upon all other parts of the birds body, we findbeautiful decorations upon the wings—inexplicable unlesswe are willing to credit the females with appreciation of^or at least a reaction to, these beauties. Otherwise weknow not the uses of the brilliant wing-mirrors of ducks,or the scarlet wax-like tips of the Cedar-birds feathers. Wings 349 or the bizarre decoration of the Twelve-wired Bird ofParadise. A strange appendage is found in the wing of the WestAfrican Goatsucker. Conspicuous enough when the birdis flying, it is wonderfully protected when the bird rests,
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublishernewyo, bookyear1906
