106 SEXUAL SELECTION : BIRDS. Part IL 



Avidower was thrice consoled durino^ the same day. Mr. 

 Eiigieheart also informs me that he used during several 

 years to shoot one of a pair of starlings which built in a 

 hole in a house at Blacklieath ; but the loss was always 

 immediately repaired. During one season he kept an 

 account and found that lie had shot thirty-five birds from 

 the same nest ; these consisted of botii males and fe- 

 males, but in what proportion he could not say : never- 

 theless after all this destruction, a brood was reared.^ 



These facts are certainly remarkable. How is it that 

 so many birds are ready immediately to replace a lost 

 mate ? Magpies, jays, carrion-crows, partridges, and 

 some other birds, are never seen during the spring by 

 themselves, and these offer at first sight the most 

 perplexing case. But birds of the same sex, although 

 of course not truly paired, sometimes live in pairs or in 

 small parties, as is known to be the case with pigeons 

 and partridges. Birds also sometimes live in triplets, 

 as has been observed with starlings, carrion-crows, par- 

 rots, and partridges. With partridges two females have 

 been known to live with one male, and two males with 

 one female. In all such cases it is probable that the 

 union would be easily broken. The males of certain 

 birds may occasionally be heard pouring forth their 

 love-song long after the proper time, shewing that they 

 have either lost or never gained a mate. Death from 

 accident or disease of either one of a pair, would leave 

 the other bird free and single ; and there is reason to 

 believe that female birds during the breeding-season 



^ On the peregrine falcon see Thompson, ' Nat. Hist, of Ireland : 

 Birds,' vol. i. 1849, p. 39. On owls, sparrows, and partridges, see White, 

 ' Nat. Hist, of Selbome,' edit, of 1825, vol. i. p. 139. On the Phoeni- 

 cura, see Loudon's ' Mag. of Nat. Hist.' vol. vii. 1834, p. 245. Brehm, 

 (' Thierleben,' B. iv. s. 991) also alludes to cases of birds thrice mated 

 during same day. 



