. Two bird-lovers in Mexico . t remarkable characteristic of the birdis its long tail, which is greenish blue in colour, whilethe two central tail-feathers, longer than the others,are bare of barbs for about an inch of their lenoth,each feather endino in a fuU-vaned racket. The strang-ething about this ornament is the fact that it is producedby the bird itself. When the young birds attain theirfull plumage, the elongated pair of feathers in the tailare perfect from base to tip. Guided apparently bysome instinct, each Motmot begins to pick and pick atthese feathers, tearing off a few barbs at a
. Two bird-lovers in Mexico . t remarkable characteristic of the birdis its long tail, which is greenish blue in colour, whilethe two central tail-feathers, longer than the others,are bare of barbs for about an inch of their lenoth,each feather endino in a fuU-vaned racket. The strang-ething about this ornament is the fact that it is producedby the bird itself. When the young birds attain theirfull plumage, the elongated pair of feathers in the tailare perfect from base to tip. Guided apparently bysome instinct, each Motmot begins to pick and pick atthese feathers, tearing off a few barbs at a time withits bill. This is kept up until the tail is in the condition »4 199 #» ::::::::»v TWO BIRD-LOVERS IN MEXICO B---- which is shown in the photograph, and at each succeed-ing moult the process is repeated. This symmetrical denudation of the tail-feathersmight he explained as a remarkal)le attempt at iestheticornamentation on the part of the male to make himselfmore beautiful in the eyes of the female ; but unfortim-. BACK VIEW OF MEXICAN MOTMOT - <4 ^200 ^ M NEAR THE TWIN VOLCANOS m::::;::::
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublisherbostonandnewyorkho
