46 SEXUAL SELECTION: BIRDS. [Part II. 



some species of Lobivanellus a similar tubercle becomes 

 developed during the breeding-season " into a short horny- 

 spur." In the Australian JO. lobatus both sexes have spurs, 

 but these are niucli larger in the males than in the females. 

 In an allied bird, the Hoplopterus armatus, the spurs do not 

 increase in size during the breeding-season ; but these birds 

 have been seen in Egypt to fight together, in the same 

 manner as our peewits, by turning suddenly in the air and 

 striking sideways at each other, sometimes with a fatal 

 result. Thus also they drive away other enemies. 17 



The season of love is that of battle ; but the males of 

 some birds, as of the game-fowl and ruff, and even the 

 young males of the wild-turkey and grouse, 18 are ready 

 to fight whenever they meet. The presence of the female 

 is the teterrima belli causa. The Bengali baboos make the 

 pretty little males of the amadavat [Estrelda amandava) 

 fight together by placing three small cages in a row, with 

 a female in the middle ; after a little* time the two males 

 are turned loose, and immediately a desperate battle en 

 sues. 19 When many males congregate at the same ap- 

 pointed spot and fight together, as in the case of grouse 

 and various other birds, they are generally attended by 

 the females, 20 which afterward pair with the victorious 



17 See, on our peewit, Mr. R. Carr in ' Land and Water,' Aug. 8, 

 1868, p. 46. In regard to Lobivanellus, see Jerdon's 'Birds of India,' 

 vol. iii. p. 647, and Gould's ' Hand-book of Birds of Australia,' vol. ii. p. 

 220. For the Hoplopterus, see Mr. Allen in the 'Ibis,' vol. v. 1863, 

 p. 156. 



18 Audubon, ' Ornith. Biography,' vol. ii. p. 492 ; vol. i. pp. 4-13. 



19 Mr. Blyth, 'Land and Water,' 1867, p. 212. 



20 Richardson, on Tetrao umbellus, 'Fauna Bor. Amer. : Birds,' 1831, 

 p. 343, L. Lloyd, ' Game-Birds of Sweden,' 1857, pp. 22, 79, on the 

 capercailzie and blackcock. Brehm, however, asserts ('Thierleben,' 

 etc., B. iv. s. 352) that in Germany the gray-hens do not generally attend 

 the Balzen of the blackcocks, but this is an exception to the common 

 rulo ; possibly the hens may he hidden in the surrounding bushes, as is 



