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Show 86 SEXUAL SELECTION : BIRDS. PAnT H .. in babitH, and our siskin, which represents it still more closely in structure, undergo 110 such annual change. But a difference of this kind in the plumage of allied species i.· not surprising, for with the common linnet, which belongs to tho same family, the crimson forehead and breast arc di ·p1nyecl only during tho summer in England, whilst in J\Iadoira these colours are retained throughout tho year. 70 Display by JJlale Bi1·cls of their Plumage.-Orna.monts of all kinds, whether permanently or temporarHy gained, are sedulously displayed by the males, and n,ppnrently serve to excite, or attract, or charm the femn1es. But the males will sometimes display their ornaments, when not in the presence of the females, as occasionally occurs with grouse at their balz-places, and as may be ·noticed with tho peacock; this latter bird, however, evidently wishes for a spectator of some kind, and will shew off his finery, as I have often seen, before poultry or even pigs. 0 All naturalist~ who have closely attended to the· habits of birds, whether in a state of nature or under confinement, are un:tnimou.·ly of opinion that the males delight to display their beauty. Audubon frequently speaks of the male as endeavouring in various ways to charm the female. Mr. Gould, after describing some peculiarities in a male humming-bird, says he has no doubt that it has the power of displaying them to tho greatest advantage before the female. Dr. J erdon 81 i9 On ihe 1~elican, see Sch~tcr, in 'Proc. Zool. Soc.' 18G , p. 2G5. On tho American finches, sco Audubon,' Ornith. Biography,' vol. i. p. 174:, 221, and Jer<lon, 'Birus of Inilin,' vol. ii. p. 383. On the Fringilla cannctuina of Madeira, 1\1r. E. Vernon Harcourt, 'Ibi~,· vol. Y., 18G3, p. 230. so • 'rc n.lso 'Ornnmental Poultry,' by Rev. E. S. Dixon, 1848, p. 8. s1 'Birds of India,' introduct. vol. i. p. xxiv.; on tho peacock, vol. iii. p. 507. Sec Gould's 'lntrouuclion to the Trochilidro,' 1 8G1, p.15 and 111. CHAP. XIII. DISPLAY BY THE MALE. 87 insists that the beautiful plumao·e of the 1 " to fascinate and attract the fem~le." l\Ir n;;:: l serves the Zoological Gardens, expressed himself t t ~tt, at str~~>gest terms to the same effect. o me m the " must be a grand sight in the forests of India " " ~~:~;~:~·:~;'i,~~:;venty or thirty pea· fowl, the mnl!~ "in all theo f ~.eous trams, and strutting about The 'ld tpo]~p o pude before the gratified females" WJ ur \.ey-cock erects his T t . . . expands his finely-zoned t '1 d bg 1 teung plumage, " m an arre l · r and altoO'ether with h · . 1 . c wmg-1eathcrs, tles rna~ ' b Is goigec crrmson and blue wat- ' '-es a super ' thouO'h to o . appearance. Similar facts ohm1 eyes, grotesque 'th < ave a ready been o·· . '' l respect to grouse of varw. us 1n .n cls T . · bn en anothe.r Order. The rna 1e R up?.c ola croc·e a (fuiOr 'm 5n0g) t..o one of the most beauti'i'ul b' d . o· JS < Ir s m tb e · ·I 1 b · a splendid orange, with some of wor. c' e~ng of truncated and 1 the feathe1s cunously P umose Th :f 1 . green, shaded with red e ema e Is brownish-crest. Sir R. Schombur 'k a~d has ~ much smaller ship · he .r d g . as descnbcd their court- ' lOUn one of their t. 1 males and t"o fiemal mee mg-p aces where ten es were l)resent rTl from four to five .reet · 1. · 1e space was 1 ' m c Htmcter a 1 been cleared of every bl l f ' .n( appeared to have if by human hands Aa( e ol grass and smoothed as · rna e " was · "apparent delio·ht of so~rei'"l tl ' c!penng to the " I• ts • b • ' n 0 lei'S .l.~ OW d' WlllO'S throwino· l . • sprea mg "like a £o '. b I~ Its head, or openino· its tail an, now struttmO' ab t · h 0 • "until tired, when it gabble'cl ~u Wit_. a hoppmg gait " was relieved by another Thome hl\.Incl ot note, and "cessively tool- the fi · us t ree of them sue" bation, withdr:w to r=~~·, al~~ then, . with. self-approobtain their skins w 't ·t e InclJans, m order to · ' ai a one of th t' till the birds are eao·e ·l ' . e mee mg-places 1 Y enO'ao·ed 1 d · are able to kill with tl .. o !=' n ancmg, and then ' leU poisoned arrows, four or five |