256 SEXUAL SELECTION: MAMMALS. [Part II. 



the hair on the neck serves as a defence, that it was origi- 

 nally developed for this purpose, though this is probable 

 in some cases, as in that of the lion. I am informed by 

 Mr. McNeill that the long hairs on the throat of the stag 

 ( Gervus elephas) serve as a great protection to him when 

 hunted, for the dogs generally endeavor to seize him by 

 the throat ; but it is not probable that these hairs were spe- 

 cially developed for this purpose ; otherwise the young 

 and the females would, as we may feel assured, have been 

 equally protected. 



On Preference or Choice in Pairing, as shown by eithci 

 Sex of Quadrupeds. — Before describing, in the next chap 

 ter, the differences" between the sexes in voice, odor emit 

 ted, and ornamentation, it will be convenient here to con 

 sider whether the sexes exert any choice in their unions. 

 Does the female prefer any particular male, either before 

 or after the males may have fought together for supremacy ; 

 or does the male, when not a polygamist, select any par- 

 ticular female ? The general impression among breeders 

 seems to be that the male accepts any female ; and this, 

 owing to his eagerness, is in most cases probably the truth. 

 Whether the female as a general rule indifferently accepts 

 any male is much more doubtful. In the fourteenth chap- 

 ter, on Birds, a considerable body of direct and indirect 

 evidence was advanced, showing that the female selects 

 her partner ; and it would be a strange anomaly if female 

 quadrupeds,. which stand higher in the scale of organiza- 

 tion and have higher mental powers, did not generally, or 

 at least often, exert some choice. The female could in 

 most cases escape, if wooed by a male that did not please 

 or excite her ; and when pursued, as so incessantly occurs, 

 by several males, she would often have the opportunity, 

 while they were lighting together, of escaping with, or at 

 least of temporarily pairing with, some one male. This 



