18661872] SEXUAL SELECTION 65 



some innocuous matter into a dingy tint would be an Letter 433 

 analogous case, and then putting him and ordinary males 

 with a female. A friend promised, but failed, to try a 

 converse experiment with white pigeons viz., to stain their 

 tails and wings with magenta or other colours, and then 

 observe what effect such a prodigious alteration would have 

 on their courtship. 1 It would be a fairer trial to cut off the 

 eyes of the tail-feathers of male peacocks ; but who would 

 sacrifice the beauty of their bird for a whole season to please 

 a mere naturalist? 



To J. Jenner Weir. Letter 434 



Down, Feb. 29th [1868]. 



I have hardly ever received a note which has interested 

 me more than your last ; and this is no exaggeration. I had 

 a few cases of birds perceiving slight changes in the dress of 

 their owners, but your facts are of tenfold value. I shall cer- 

 tainly make use of them, and need not say ho\v much obliged 

 I should be for any others about which you feel confident. 



Do you know of any birds besides some of the gallinaceae 

 which are polygamous ? Do you know of any birds besides 

 pigeons, and, as it is said, the raven, which pair for their 

 whole lives ? 



Many years ago I visited your brother, who showed me 

 his pigeons and gave me some valuable information. Could 

 you persuade him (but I fear he would think it high treason) 

 to stain a male pigeon some brilliant colour, and observe 

 whether it excited in the other pigeons, especially the females, 

 admiration or contempt ? 



For the chance of your liking to have a copy and being 

 able to find some parts which would interest you, I have 

 directed Mr. Murray to send you my recent book on Variation 

 under Domestication. 



P.S. I have somewhere safe references to cases of magpies, 

 of which one of a pair has been repeatedly (I think seven 

 times) killed, and yet another mate was always immediately 

 found. 2 A gamekeeper told me yesterday of analogous case. 



1 See Letter 428. 



2 On this subject see Descent of Man, Ed. I., Vol. II., p. 104, where 

 Mr. Weir's observations were made use of. This statement is quoted 

 from Jenner (Phil. Tra?is., 1824) in the Descent of Man (1901), p. 620. 



VOL. II. 5 



