Picture This.....Not.

"Don't waste words, jump to conclusions..."
That famously ambiguous, contentious and curious quote dubiously attributed to that longtime 'hero' of mine, Mr Millican Dalton.....

Those words can be seen roughly scratched into the rock wall of a cave that this pioneering gentleman of nature, freedom and adventure made his home for 50 odd (some would say very odd!) years in the English Lake District.
However....never judge a book by it's cover....etc etc...
A person's appearance,  manner and character can often be misleading......and you never know... underneath the grey suit, collar and tie there may be a free-thinking bohemian uni-cycling performance artist......or something......and anyway, that questionable jumper/hat/pair of trousers they are furnished in may not have actually been of their own choosing.
'They' say that looking at the books and/or music a person has on their shelves can often indicate a person's character....and intriguingly, what footwear they sport....I'm not so sure....I would hate to think that I ever be adjudged by what's on my shelves

....there is a hell of a lot of both noise and word there by accident, intrusion and by unwarranted gift......and my mode of foot furniture is, to say the least, somewhat haphazard according to activity....and more often than not, mildly inappropriate !
Anyway.......it got me thinking....
Over the years, I appear to have collected a fair number of pictures and paintings that happen to adorn the walls of my home. These pictures make an extremely eclectic (always feels good to use the word eclectic) mix of style, content, subject matter and yes.....subjectively rated artistic merit. In the same way that what sits on the bookshelf and inhabits the music collection of a person can be said to reflect the character of their owner, maybe the displayed choice of their wall adornments also gives insight into their 'inner persona'......perhaps even more directly. If so, I'm in trouble......call Social Services immediately.
A fair number of almost 'chocolate- boxy' landscapes ( I don't know why....I just like 'em) exist amongst a sprinkling of more worthy original nature paintings...Contemporary and classical  prints of various subjects jostle amongst drawings, photographic copies and home-mounted 'art' pieces of dubious and incongruous subjects from Kerouac to Dickens, from theatre props to guitar fretboard close-ups. From framed pages of Eagle comics to classical seascape water-colours. Postcards, drawings and personal ephemera of every kind from marbles to rocks, feathers and a rather fetching collection of hats....... and the rest.....

As I say.......it occurs to me also.....bearing in mind the above......Could the appearances of our furred and feathered friends in any way indicate/influence 'character'....or do they simply look like they do, and are what they are,  and do what they do, simply because of what they are... because of practical natural evolution.....
Because yer everage  bird of prey has the facial features that make it look cruel and fierce ......is it?
Because a fluffy bunny looks to us all cuddly and cute......is it?
Because a chicken by its general demeanour, looks less 'intelligent' than an owl......is it?
Does a well preened badger have more social status within badger society than a scruffy one?
Does a chaffinch actually know its sartorially 'lookin' good' when compared with a dunnock....
These are questions that need to be answered.....
I realize the matter of choice of appearance is not an aspect generally open to fauna, but does their appearance in any way influence their individual and/or collective character.....if indeed a species has such a thing.....*strokes chin whilst musing..
I think we can be forgiven for anthropomorphising a bit......what other way of assessing 'character' have we?
Are sparrows cheeky chappies?
Are weasels mean and nasty?......and so on....
Most animals I can think of seem to have been given a human characteristic according to their species, behaviour...... and perhaps....appearance?
Our domestic pets appear to develop 'characters' in our eyes, so do 'wild' creatures also develop individual characteristics........ and here is the rub.....are these characteristics determinable by their appearance?
Does a grumpy duck actually look grumpy?

Does a happy-go-lucky tortoise look any different from an introverted one?
Do animals and birds have individual characters and can you tell not just by their activity, but by their appearance?........and, reading back through this post............who the hell cares?
I need to get out more.
I was going to include an array of pictorial examples of my household 'art' collection....interspersed with examples of various animals and birds displaying imagined characteristics due to their appearance.......but frankly,  I can't now really be bothered.......maybe at a later date perhaps.......or!...the precious few who read this, could post illustration of their own ??!!....
Nah.....
I'm going for a walk. Autumn has well and truly arrived, and the local woods/river-bank and chilled misty air is calling for me to don those favourite items of warm 'winter' clothing and wander amongst it all......
Yet.........I do wonder what picture I may present to any highly-wicked Goretex-wrapped passer-by as I saunter along dressed in my beaten up old walking boots (with mismatched laces), co-ordinated duffle coat and battered fedora combo......?