94 SEXUAL SELECTION: BIRDS. [Part II. 



ments. Cock-fighters trim the hackles and cut off the 

 comb and gills of their cocks ; and the birds are then said 

 to be dubbed. An undubbed bird, as Mr. Tegetmeier in- 

 sists, " is at a fearful disadvantage : the comb and gills 

 offer an easy hold to his adversary's beak, and as a cock 

 always strikes where he holds, when once he has seized 

 his foe, he has him entirely in his power. Even supposing 

 that the bird is not killed, the loss of blood suffered by an 

 undubbed cock is much greater than that sustained by 

 one that has been trimmed." 89 Young turkey-cocks in 

 fighting always seize hold of each other's wattles ; and I 

 presume that the old birds fight in the same manner. It 

 may perhaps be objected that the comb and wattles are 

 not ornamental, and cannot be of service to the birds in 

 this way ; but even to our eyes, the beauty of the glossy 

 black Spanish cock is much enhanced by his white face 

 and crimson comb; and no one who has ever seen the 

 splendid blue wattles of the male Tragopan pheasant, 

 when distended during the act of courtship, can for a mo- 

 ment doubt that beauty is the object gained. From the 

 foregoing facts we clearly see that the plumes and other 

 ornaments of the male must be of the highest importance 

 to him ; and we further see that beauty in some cases is 

 even more important than success in battle. 



89 Tegetmeier, ' The Poultry-Book,' 1866, p. 139. 



