394 The Descent of Man. Paet II. 

 j 



exhibits its bright colours only when the winter is past, whilst 

 our goldfinch, which exactly represents this bird in habits, and 

 our siskin, which represents it still more closely 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, whilst in Madeira these colours are retained through- 

 out the year. 84 



Display by Male Birds of their Plumage.- — Ornaments of all 

 kinds, whether permanently or temporarily gained, are sedulously 

 displayed by the males, and apparently serve to excite, attract, 

 or fascinate 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, as I have often seen, 

 will shew off his finery before poultry, or even pigs. 85 All natu- 

 ralists who have closely attended to the habits of birds, whether 

 in a state of nature or under confinement, are unanimously of 

 opinion that the males take delight in displaying their beauty. 

 Audubon frequently speaks of the male as endeavouring in 

 various ways to charm the female. Mr. Gould, after describing 

 some peculiarities in a male humming-bird, says he has no doubt 

 that it has the power of displaying them to the greatest advantage 

 before the female. Dr. Jerdon 86 insists that the beautiful plum- 

 age of the male serves " to fascinate and attract the female." 

 Mr. Bartlett, at the Zoological Gardens, expressed himself to me 

 in the strongest terms to the same effect. 



It must be a grand sight in the forests of India " to come 

 " suddenly on twenty or thirty pea fowl, the males displaying 

 " their gorgeous trains, and strutting about in all the pomp ot 

 ' pride before the gratified females." The wild turkey-cock 

 erects his glittering plumage, expands his finely-zoned tail and 

 barred wing-feathers, and altogether, with his crimson and 

 blue wattles, makes a superb, though to our eyes, grotesque 



54 On the pelican, see Sclater. in 1863, p. 230. 

 'Proa, Zool. Soc' 1868, p. 265. 85 See also ' Ornamental Poultry, 



On the American finches, see Au- by Rev. E. S. Dixon, 18-48, p. 8. 

 dubon, 'Ornith. Biography,' vol. i. 86 ' Birds of India,' introduct. vol. 



pp. 174, 221, and Jerdon, 'Birds of i. p. xxiv. ; on the peacock, vol. iii. 



India,' vol. ii. p. 383. On the p. 507. See Goxld's « Introduction 



Fringilla cannabina of Madeira, Mr. to the Trochilidse,' 1861, pp. 15 and 



E. Vernon Harcouvt, 'Ibis,' vol. v., 111. 



