Chap. XVI. SUMMARY. 233 



but have special means for charming tlie female. With 

 some it is the power of song, or of emitting strange 

 cries, or of producing instrumental music, and tlie males 

 in consequence differ from the females in their vocal 

 organs, or in the structure of certain feathers. From 

 the curiously diversified means for producing various 

 sounds we gain a high idea of the importance of this 

 means of courtship. Many birds endeavour to charm 

 the females by love-dances or antics, performed on the 

 ground or in the air, and sometimes at prepared places. 

 But ornaments of many kinds, the most brilliant tints, 

 combs and wattles, beautiful plumes, elongated feathers, 

 top-knots, and so forth, are by far the commonest 

 means. In some cases mere novelty appears to have 

 acted as a charm. The ornaments of the males must 

 be highly important to them, for they have been ac- 

 quired in not a few cases at the cost of increased danger 

 from enemies, and even at some loss of power in- fight- 

 ing with their rivals. The males of very many spe- 

 cies do not assume their ornamental dress until they 

 arrive at maturity, or they assume it only during the 

 breeding-season, or the tints then become more vivid. 

 Certain ornamental appendages become enlarged, turgid, 

 and brightly-coloured during the very act of courtship. 

 The males display their charms with elaborate care and 

 to the best effect ; and. this is done in the presence of 

 the females. The courtship is sometimes a prolonged 

 affair, and many males and females congregate at an 

 appointed place. To suppose that the females do not 

 appreciate the beauty of the males is to admit that 

 their splendid decorations, all their pomp and display, 

 are useless ; and this is incredible. Birds have fine 

 powers of discriunnation, and in some few instances it 

 can be shewn that they have a taste for the beautiful. 

 The females, moreover, are known occasionally to 



