The Study of Sexual Selection 



case I took away the favoured bird, and put 

 in the side compartments he and his rival had 

 occupied two other cocks, which differed in a 

 similar way, though not to the same extent. 

 Again the hen kept at the side of the rich 

 red specimen, so, deeming I knew her views 

 about the correct colour for an avadavat, I took 

 her away too, and tried a second hen with these 

 two males. This was an unusually big bird, and 

 a very independent one, for she would not make 

 up her mind at all ; and ultimately I released 

 all three without having gained any result. 



Subsequently I made another experiment with 

 linnets. In this case all three were allowed to 

 fly in a big aviary - cage together, a method 

 which, as may be gathered from what I have 

 said above, I do not recommend. In this 

 case, however, the handsomest cock, which 

 showed much richer red on the breast, had a 

 crippled foot, and proved, as I had expected, 

 to be in fear of the other ; nevertheless the 

 hen mated with him. It must be said, in 

 justice to the duller bird, that he did not press 

 the advantage his soundness gave him, but 

 with a less gentle bird than the linnet this 

 would probably have happened. 



In cases where there is no obvious natural 

 difference, one might be made by staining some 

 portion of one bird's plumage, or clipping its 



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