THE COURTING OF BIRDS 



Few subjects in ornithology are more interesting 

 than the actions of birds during courtship, and 

 much remains to be learnt about their meaning, 

 for the explanation of Darwin, that these ex- 

 traordinary antics of the male birds, and the 

 beauties thereby displayed, are destined to 

 please the hens, is far from being universally 

 accepted. Many writers seem to find a diffi- 

 culty in imagining that the female sex among 

 birds is sufficiently endowed mentally to possess 

 the requisite aesthetic sense, and, indeed, evi- 

 dence that female birds do consistently prefer 

 the more beautiful males, or even that they are 

 pleased by the display of the latter, is not very 

 abundant. At the same time, it is within the 

 power of every one to observe that they can, 

 and do, exercise choice ; as to what determines 

 that choice information can only be gained by 

 experiment, and now and then by a fortunate 

 observation. 



That male birds which possess some special 

 piece of ornament sedulously display the same 

 before the female is without doubt ; but then 

 they also "show off" when angry, and the hens 



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