82 SEXUAL SELECTION: BIRDS. [Part II. 



lemon-colored marks on the breast, overspreads the whole 

 plumage in the spring; but these tints, as Mr. Sclater 

 states, " do not last long, disappearing generally in about 

 six weeks or two months after they have been attained." 

 Certain finches shed the margins of their feathers in the 

 spring, and then become bright-colored, while other finches 

 undergo no such change. Thus the Fringilla tristis of the 

 United States (as well as many other American species) 

 exhibits its bright colors only when the winter is past, 

 while our goldfinch, which exactly represents this bird in 

 habits, and our siskin, which represents it still more close- 

 ly in structure, undergo no such annual change. But a 

 difference of this kind in the plumage of allied species is 

 not surprising, for with the common linnet, which belongs 

 to the same family, the crimson forehead and breast are 

 displayed only during the summer in England, while in 

 Madeira these colors are retained throughout the year. 



79 



Display by Male Birds of their Plumage. — Ornaments 

 of all kinds, whether permanently or temporarily gained, 

 are sedulously display^, by the males, and apparently 

 serve to excite, or attract, or charm, the females. But the 

 males will sometimes display their ornaments, when not 

 in the presence of the females, as occasionally occurs with 

 grouse at their balz-places, and as may be noticed with 

 the peacock; this latter bird, however, evidently wishes 

 for a spectator of some kind, and will show off" his finery, 

 as I have often seen, before poultry or even pigs. 80 All 

 naturalists who have closely attended to the habits of 



79 On the pelican, see Sclater, in 'Proc. Zool. Soc' 1868, p. 265. 

 On the American finches, see Audubon, ' Ornith. Biography,' vol. i. pp. 

 174, 221, and Jerdon, 'Birds of India,' vol. ii. p. 383. On the Fringilla 

 tannabina of Madeira, Mr. E. Vernon Harcourt, 'Ibis,' vol. v. 1863, 

 p. 230. 



80 See also ' Ornamental Poultry,' bv Rev. E. S. Dixon, 1848, p. 8. 



