$76 The Descent of Man. r^m II. 



females and not the males are often kept by the natives for 

 fighting, like game-cocks. As male birds are exposed by the 

 English bird-catchers for a decoy near a trap, in order to catch 

 other males by exciting their rivalry, so the females of this 

 Turnix are employed in India. When thus exposed the females 

 soon begin their " loud purring call, which can be heard a long 

 u way off, and any females within ear-shot run rapidly to the 

 " spot, and commence fighting with the caged bird." In this way 

 from twelve to twenty birds, all breeding females, may be 

 caught in the course of a single day. The natives assert that 

 the females after laying their eggs associate in flocks, and leave 

 the males to sit on them. There is no reason to doubt the 

 truth of this assertion, which is supported by some observations 

 made in China by Mr. Swinhoe. 10 Mr. Blyth believes, that the 

 young of both sexes resemble the adult male. 



The females of the three species of Painted Snipes (Bhynchaea, 

 fig. 62) " are not only larger but much more richly coloured than 

 " the males." 1G With all other birds in which the trachea differs 

 in structure in the two sexes it is more developed and complex 

 in the male than in the female ; but in the Rhynchxa austrulis 

 it is simple in the male, whilst in the female it makes four 

 distinct convolutions before entering the lungs. 17 The female 

 therefore of this species has acquired an eminently masculine 

 character. Mr. Blyth ascertained, by examining many speci- 

 mens, that the trachea is not convoluted in either sex of /*. 

 bengalensis, which species resembles R. austrulis so closely, that 

 it can hardly be distinguished except by its shorter toes. This 

 fact is another striking instance of the law that secondary 

 sexual characters are often widely different in closely-allied 

 forms, though it is a very rare circumstance when such differ- 

 ences relate to the female sex. The young of both sexes of R. 

 hengalensis in their first plumage are said to resemble the 

 mature male. 18 There is also reason to believe that the male 

 undertakes the duty of incubation, for Mr. Swinhoe 19 found the 

 females before the close of the summer associated in flocks, as 

 occurs with the females of the Turnix. 



The females of Phalarapus fulicarms and P. hyperhoreus are 

 larger, and in their summer plumage " more gaily attired than 

 " the males." But the difference in colour between the sexes is 

 far from conspicuous. Accoiding to Professor Steenstrup, the 



15 Jerdon, 'Birds of India,' vol. 17 Gould's ' Handbook to the 



iii. p. 590. Mr. Swinhoe, in 'Ifcis,' Birds of Australia,' vol. ii. p. 275. 

 1865, p. 542 ; 1866, pp. 131, 405. 18 ' The Indian Field,' Sept. 1858, 



"• Jerdon, ' Birds of India, vol. p 3. 

 'ii. p. 677. > 9 < Ibis,' 1866, p 298. 



