50 SEXUAL SELECTION : BIEDS. Part IL 



• 



desire ; but some of these battles are caused by wander- 

 ing males try lag to distract the peace of an already 

 mated pair.^^ 



Even with the most pugnacious species it is probable 

 that the pairing does not depend exclusively on the 

 mere strength and courage of the male : for such 

 males are generally decorated with various ornaments, 

 which often become more brilliant duriDs: the breedins:- 

 season, and which are sedulously displayed before the 

 females. The males also endeavour to charm or ex- 

 cite their mates by love-notes, songs, and antics ; and 

 the courtship is, in many instances, a prolonged affliir. 

 Hence it is not probable that the females are indifferent 

 to the charms of the opposite sex, or that they are 

 invariably compelled to yield to the victorious males. 

 It is more probable that the females are excited, either 

 before or after the conflict, by certain males, and thus 

 unconsciously prefer them. In the case of Tetrao um- 

 hellus, a good observer'^ goes so far as to believe that 

 the battles of tiie males " are all a sham, performed 

 '* to show themselves to the greatest advantage before 

 " the admiring females who assemble around ; for I 

 " have never been able to find a maimed hero, and 

 " seldom more than a broken feather." I shall have 

 to recur to this subject, but I may here add that with 

 the Tetrao cupido of the United States, about a score of 

 males assemble at a particular spot, and strutting about 

 make the whole air resound with their extraordinary 

 noises. At the first answer from a female the males 

 begin to fight furiously, and the weaker give way ; but 

 then, accoi'ding to Audubon, both the victors and van- 

 quished search for the female, so that the females must 



22 Biehm, ' Thierleben,' &c., B. iv. 1867, p. 990. AiKlubon, ' Ornitli. 

 Biography,' voL ii. p. 492. 



-3 ' Land and Water/ July 25th, 18G8, p. 14. 



