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Show 270 SEXUAL SELECTION : MAMMALS. PART II. " harsh growl he drives her to a place in his hare:rr:. " rrhis continues until the lower row of harems lS " nearly full. Then tho males higher up select the "time when their more fortunate neighbours are off " their guard to steal their wives. This they do by "taking them in their mouths and lifting them over " the heads of the other females, and carefully placing " them in their own harem, carrying them as cats do " their kittens. Those still higher up pursue the same "method until the whole space is occupied. Frequently " a struggle ensues between two males for the po. session " of the same female, and both seizing her at once pull " her in two or terribly lacerate her with their teeth. " When the space is all filled, the old male walks around "complacently Tcviewing his family, scolding those " who crowd or disturb the others, and fiercely dTiving "off all intruders. This surveillance always keeps him " actively occupied." As so little is known about tho courtship of animals in a state of nature, I have endeavoured to discover how far our domesticated quadrupeds evince any choice in their unions. Dogs offer the best opportunity for observation, as they are carefully attended to and well understood. Many breeders have expressed a strong opinion on this head. Thus Mr. 1\:Iayhew remarks, "~rhe females are " able to bestow their affections; and tender recollec" tions are as potent over them as they are known to "be in other cases, whore higher animals are con" cerned. Bitches are not always prudent in their •' loves, but are apt to fling themselves away on curs " of low degree. If reared with a companion of vulgar "appearance, there often springs up betwe n tho pair a '' devotion which no time can afterwards subdue. The "passion, for such it really is, becomes of a more than "romantic endurance." Mr. Mayhew, who attended (;I[AP. XV![. PREFEHENCES IN PAIRING. 271 chieOy to the smaller breeds, is convinced that the [~males are strongly attracted by males of largo size.H I he well-known Yeterinary Blaine states 42 that his own female pug became so attacheu to a spaniel, and a Ie~.ale. setter to a cur .. that in neither case would they pau w1tlt a dog of their own breed until several weeks had elapsed. Two similar and trustworthy accounts have been ?iven me in regard to a female retriever and. a spamel, both of which became enamoured with terner-dogs. Mr. Cupples info.rms me that he can personally vouch ~or th? accuracy of the following more remarkable case, 111 ,~]uch a valuable. and wonderfully-intelligent female terner loved a retnever, belonging to a neighbour, to s~ch a .degree that s~e had often to be dragged away from lum. After their permanent separation althouab repeatedly shewing milk in bet· teats, she w~uld nev~r acknowledge the courtship of any other dog, and to the regret of her owner, never bore puppies. Mr. Cupples ~lso states that ~ female deerhound now (1868) in his l~enn~l has thrJCe produced puppies, and on each occasiOn shewed a marked preference for one of the largest and h~n~some~t, but not the most eager, of four deer-hounds hvmg with her, all in the prime of life. Mr. Cupples has observed that the female generally favours a dog whom she has associated with and kno.ws ; her shyness and timidity at first incline her agamst a stra~ge .dog. The male, on the contrary, seems rather mclmed towards strange females. It appears to be rare when the male refuses any partiCular female, but Mr. Wright, of Yeldersley House, 11 'Dogs: their Management,' by E. Mayhew M R C V IJnd d"t 1864, p. 187-192. ' • . ' ' ''- e I · 42 Quoted by Alex. Walker 'On Iutcrmarriagc,' 1838, }J. 27G' sec nlso p. 211. |
