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Show 98 SEX.UAJ, SELECTION : DIRDS. P.\H'l' IL It is a. more curious fact that tho males of some birds which are provided with special weapons for battle, and which in a state of nature arc so pugnacious that they often kill each other, suffer from possessing certain ornaments. Cock-fighters trim the hackles anu cut off the comb and gills of their cocks; and tho birds arc then said to be dubbed. An undubbed, bird, as Mr. Tegetmeier insists, "is at a fearful disadvantage: the "comb anu gills offer an easy hold to his adversary's "beak, and as a cock always strikes where he holds, "when once he has seizeu his foe, he bas him entirely " in his power. Even supposing that tho bird is not "killed, the loss of blood suffercrl by an undubbed coc~t "is much greater than that sustained by one that has "been trimmed." 89 Young turkey-cocks in fighting always seize hold of each other's wattles; and I presume that the old birds fight in the same manner. It may perhaps be objected that the comb and wattles are not ornamental, and cannot be of service to the birds in this way ; but even to our eyes, the beauty of the glossy black Spanish cock is much enhanced by his white face and crimson comb; and no one who has ever seen the splendid blue wattles of the male Tragopan pheasant, when distended during the act of courtship, can for a moment doubt that beauty is the object gained. From the foregoing facts we clearly sec that the plumes and other ornaments of the male must be of the highest importance to him; and we further sec that beauty in some cases is even more important than success in battle. Birds,' vol. xiv. p.lG7. On llird:; of Paradise, Lesson, quoted by Brehm, ''£hierlcbcn,' B. iii. s. 325. On tho widow-bird, narrow's 'Travels in Africa,' vol. i. p. 243, n.nd 'Ibis,' vol. iii. 1861, p. 133. :Mr. Gould, on the shyness of malo birds, 'Handbook to Birds of Australia,' vol. i. 1865, p. 210, 157. su 'l'cgotmcier, .' The Poultry nook,' 18GG, p. 139. i'IIAP. XIV. SEXUAL SELECTION : BIRDS. 99 CHAPTER XIV~ BIRDS-continued. Uhobic' e exerted by .t l1 0 lr Cmalc- Lc O't] f mls- Mental qualities and tast nf, 1 o courtship- Unpaired or. ~ntipathy shewn by the fe~ c or the b~autiful- Preference .ahhty of birds_ y · . ale for partlcula1· males -V · . anatJOns sometim an- t~on- Formation of ocelli- Gra .es abrupt- Laws of varia- 1 cacock, Argus pheasant a d U da~wns of character- Case of ' < n rost10tc. WHEN the sexes d'.e£' . sm• gm· g, or in prod 111e. r m hb eauty , m· t h e power of ucmg w at I h mental music, it is aim . . ave called instru-excels the female Thost mvar~~bly the male which · · ese quaht1es h seen, are evidently of h. h . ' as we ave just When they are gai· d "' Jg Importance to the male . ne 10r ani · IS always shortly before the br~ea .pru.·~ of the yea~·, this n:ale alone who elaborate! a· fmg-s~ason. It IS the twns, and often per.l'o. y 1Sp ays hrs varied attrac- or m• tho air in th11 rms strange an t'I cs on the oTound I . ' e presence of th £ 5 rna e dnves away or ·r h e emale. Each Hence we may concl~;e t~ tca.n, .kills all his rivals. male to induce the "'e 'I a lt rs the object of the th. 11 mae to pai 'th 1 . Is purpose he tries to ...a y 't r WI nm, and for , "'XCI e or char h · vays; ancl this is the . . m er m various carefully studied th h ob~mwn ?f. all those who have . . e a Its of hvmg b. ·d B Iemams a question which h . 11 s. ut there on sexual selection, na.mel as :n ali Important bearing same species equally . 't y, oes every male of the does she exert a ch . exci e and attract the female? or question can be Oice,. an~ prefer certain males ? This answeied m the affirmative by much H 2 |