A Red Bird in a Brown Bag

• Part 1: Prelude ; 1. Darwinism and Wallacism: A Brief Account of the Long History of the Study of Plumage Coloration ; 2. A Red Bird in a Brown Bag: An Introduction to the House Finch ; 3. In the Eye of the Beholder: Color Vision and the Quantification of Colour ; Part 2: The Proximate Control and Function of Red Plumage ; 4. You Are What You Eat: Plumage Pigments and Carotenoid Physiology ; 5. A Matter of Condition: The Effect of Environment on Plumage Coloration ; 6. Darwin Vindicated: Female Choice and Sexual Selection in the House Finch ; 7. Fine Fathers and Good Genes: The Direct and Indirect benefits of female choice ; 8. Studs, Duds, and Studly Duds: Plumage Coloration, Hormones, and Dominance ; 9. The Feeling's Mutual: Female Plumage Coloration and Male Mate Choice ; Part 3: Biogeography and the Evolution of Colorful Plumage ; 10. From the Halls of Montezuma, to the Shores of Tripoli (New York): Populations, Subspecies, and Geographic Variation in Ornamental Coloration ; 11. Why Red?: The Evolution of Color Display ; Epilogue ; Glossary

Hill's book is, thus far, probably the most complete study of the function and control of plumage pigmentation in a single bird species. It was an easy read because of Hill's ability to write clearly and creatively, and to present ideas in a logical order.