Colouration in animals and plants (1886) (14590298137)

Identifier: colourationinani00tylo (find matches)

Title: Colouration in animals and plants

Year: 1886 (1880s)

Authors: Tylor, Alfred, 1824-1884 Skertchly, Sydney B. J. (Sydney Barber Josiah), 1850-1927

Subjects: Color of animals Animal behavior Plants

Publisher: London : Printed by Alabaster, Passmore and Sons

Contributing Library: MBLWHOI Library

Digitizing Sponsor: MBLWHOI Library

Text Appearing Before Image:

the pectoral muscles, and the tailappendages emphasize the share-like caudal vertebrae. If we turn to the other species of this genus, we find in P.Papuanathe claret breast suddenly change to green at the furculum ; andsimilar changes take place in P. speciosa, while in P. Wallacei andWilsoni this region is decorated with a wonderful apron of metallicgreen. The region of the furculum is equally well marked in the Toucansand Sun-birds. If now we observe the back of a bird, and view the skeleton withthe wings at rest, we shall find it falls into three morphologicaltracts. First, the shoulder, or scapular track ; second, the thigh, orpelvic; third, the tail, or caudal region; and in all these buds theseveral tracts are beautifully marked by sudden and contrastedchange of colour. In P. Wilsoni all the tracts are brilliant red, butthey are separated by jet-black borders. In Nectarinea chloropygiathe scapular region is red, the pelvic yellow, and the caudal green. ■■ page 00.) Plate X.

Text Appearing After Image:

£ Skerfchly del SUN BIBDS. Colouration of Vertebrata. 91 In P. Wilsoni we have a wonderful example of morphologicalemphasis. The head is bare of feathers, and coloured blue, exceptalong the sutures of the skull, where lines of tiny black feathersmap out the various bones. But morphological emphasis exists everywhere in birds. Thewing-primaries, which attach to the hand, are frequently differentlydecorated from the secondaries, which feathers spring from the ulna;and the spur-feathers of the thumb, or pollux, are different in shape,and often in colour, from the others, as every fly-fisher who has usedwoodcock spur-feathers knows full well. The wing-coverts and tail-coverts are frequently mapped in colour; and the brain case ismarked by coloured crests. The eye and ear are marked by linesand stripes; and so we might go on throughout the whole bird. Wemay remark that these very tracts are most valuable for thedescription and detection of species, and among ornithologistsreceive special

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1886

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