18661872] SEXUAL SELECTION 79 



To J. Jenner Weir. Letter 444 



Down, May yth [1868]. 



I have now to thank you for no less than four letters ! 

 You are so kind that I will not apologise for the trouble I 

 cause you ; but it has lately occurred to me that you ought to 

 publish a paper or book on the habits of the birds which you 

 have so carefully observed. But should you do this, I do not 

 think that my giving some of the facts for a special object 

 would much injure the novelty of your work. There is such 

 a multitude of points in these last letters that I hardly know 

 what to touch upon. Thanks about the instinct of nidification, 

 and for your answers on many points. I am glad to hear 

 reports about the ferocious female bullfinch. I hope you will 

 have another try in colouring males. I have now finished 

 lepidoptera, and have used your facts about caterpillars, and 

 as a caution the case of the yellow-underwings. I have now 

 begun on fishes, and by comparing different classes of facts 

 my views are getting a little more decided. In about a 

 fortnight or three weeks I shall come to birds, and then I 

 dare say that I shall be extra troublesome. I will now 

 enclose a few queries for the mere chance of your being able 

 to answer some of them, and I think it will save you trouble 

 if 1 write them on a separate slip, and then you can sometimes 

 answer by a mere " no " or " yes." 



Your last letter on male pigeons and linnets has interested 

 me much, for the precise facts which you have given me on 

 display are of the utmost value for my work. I have written 

 to Mr. Bartlett on Gallinaceae, but I dare say I shall not get 

 an answer. I had heard before, but am glad to have con- 

 firmation about the ruffs being the most numerous. I am 

 greatly obliged to your brother for sending out circulars. I 

 have not heard from him as yet. I want to ask him whether 

 he has ever observed when several male pigeons are courting 

 one female that the latter decides with which male she will 

 pair. The story about the black mark on the lambs must be 

 a hoax. The inaccuracy of many persons is wonderful. I 

 should like to tell you a story, but it is too long, about beans 

 growing on the wrong side of the pod during certain years. 

 Queries : 



Does any female bird regularly sing ? 

 Do you know any case of both sexes, more especially of 



