Chap. VIII.] SEXUAL SELECTION. 297 



With respect to birds in a state of nature, Mr. Gould and 

 others 44 are convinced that the males are generally the more 

 numerous; and as the young males of many species resemble the 

 females, the latter would naturally appear to be the most numer- 

 ous. Large numbers of pheasants are reared by Mr. Baker, of 

 Leadenhall, from eggs laid by wild birds, and he informs Mr. Jen- 

 ner Weir that four or five males to one female are generally pro- 

 duced. An experienced observer remarks 45 that in Scandinavia 

 the broods of the capercailzie and black-cock contain more males 

 than females ; and that with the Dal-ripa (a kind of ptarmigan) 

 more males than females attend the le7cs or places of courtship ; 

 but this latter circumstance is accounted for by some observers 

 by a greater number of hen-birds being killed by vermin. From 

 various facts given by White of Selbourne, 46 it seems clear that the 

 males of the partridge must be in considerable excess in the south 

 of England ; and I have been assured that this is the case in Scot- 

 land. Mr. Weir, on inquiring from the dealers who receive at 

 certain seasons large numbers of ruffs (Machetes pugnax), was told 

 that the males are much the most numerous. This same natural- 

 ist lias also inquired for me from the bird-catchers, who annually 

 catch an astonishing number of various small species alive for the 

 London market, and he was unhesitatingly answered by an old 

 and trustworthy man, that with the chaffinch the males are in 

 large excess; he thought as high as 2 males tol female, or at 

 least as high as 5 to 3. 4T The males of the blackbird, he likewise 

 maintained, were by far the most numerous, whether caught by 

 traps or by netting at night. These statements may apparently 

 be trusted, because the same man said that the sexes are about 

 equal with the lark, the twite (Linaria montana), and goldfinch. 



44 Brehm (' Illust. Thierleben,' B. iv. s. 990) comes to the same con- 

 clusion. 



45 On the authority of L. Lloyd, 'Game Birds of Sweden,' 18G7, pp. 

 12, 132. 



46 ' Nat. Hist, of Selbourne,' letter xxix. edit, of 1825, vol. i. p. 139. 



47 Mr. Jenner Weir received similar information, on making inquiries 

 during the following year. To show the number of chaffinches caught, 1 

 may mention that in 1869 there was a match between two experts; and 

 one man caught in a day 62, and another 40, male chaffinches. The 

 greatest number ever caught by one man in a single day was 70. 



