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Show 88 SEXUAL SELECTION: BIRDS. PanT n. 1 n(,t cr the ot1 1 e1.. s2 \.',l ith Birds of Parac·l iFe, rna es, one • l 1 s conrrrecrate m ,t a dozen or more fnll~p1umagc<. ma_et. ·s c~hed by the 1 ld 1a lcmcr-l)arty as I I . tree to 10 a c "1 o ' · · . their wmrrr, 11ativcs; and here flying about, rmsmg b ' elevatino· their exquisite plumes, and rnaldnllbcr them vibrate, o the whole tree seems, as l'II I·. W a ace re- 82 'Journal of n. Gcograph, Soc:' vol. x. 18!0, p. 2:-JG. .CHAT'. Xlii. DISPLAY BY TilE MALE. 89 mad:s, to be .filled with waving plumes. When thus ·engaged, they become so absorbed that a skilful archer may shoot nearly the whole party. These birds, when kept in confinement in the Malay Archipelago, are said to take much care in keeping their feathers clean; often spreading them out, examining them, and removing every speck of dirt. One observer, who kept several pairs alive, did not doubt that the display of the malo was intended to please the female. 83 The gold-pheasant (Thctumalea picta) during his courtship not only expands and raises his splendid frill, but turns it, as I have myself seen, obliquely towards the female on whichever side she may be standing, obviou ly in order that a large surface may be displayed before hcr. 84 1\Ir. Bartlett has observed a male Polyplectron {fig. 51) in the act of courtship, and has shewn me a specimen stuffed in the attitude then a sumed. The tail and wing-feathers of this bird are ornamented with beautiful ocelli, like those on tho peacock's train. Now when the peacock displays himself, he expands and -erects his tail transversely to his body, for he stands in front of the female, and has to shew off, at the same time, his rich blue throat and breast. But the breast ·Of the Polyplectron is obscurely coloured, and the ocelli nre not confined to the tail-feathers. Consequently the Polyplectron does not stand jn front of the female; but he erects and expands his tail-feathers a little obliquely, 83 'Annals and 1\fng. of Nut. IIist.' vol. xiii. 1854, p. 157; nlso ~-Vallaco, ibid. vol. xx. 1857, p. 412, and ' Tho l\Ialay Al·chi}1Clago, ' vol. Bu.. ~-~G9, p. 252. Also Dr. Bennett, as quoted by Brehm, 'Thierlebcn,' 111. s. i32G. 84 lVIr. T. W. Wood hos given ('The Student,' April, 1870, p. 115) a full account of this manner of display, wlJich he culls tho lateral or On(!-siclcd, hy tho gold pheasant and by the Japanese pheasant, Ph. ~ersicolor. |