Ornithological and Other Oddities 



are peculiarly prone to hybridism, especially in 

 captivity. 



Whatever the cause of the display, it is diffi- 

 cult nowadays to see how it affects the female. 

 Generally, she seems to be supremely indifferent 

 to it, and one may often see the extravagant 

 demonstrations of Philip Sparrow cut short by 

 a vigorous dig from the bill of his prosaic and 

 shrewish spouse. In the case of the sparrow, 

 however, and of the other birds I have men- 

 tioned, whose habits have been observed in 

 more or less complete domestication, it is quite 

 possible that the male, having no difficulty in 

 finding food, has too much time on his hands, 

 and shows off till the display becomes weari- 

 some by repetition ; with birds which live more 

 busy lives in the wilds it would, no doubt, come 

 as a pleasing surprise. 



As I have intimated, however, careful ex- 

 periment is needed ; until females of their re- 

 spective species are introduced to couples of 

 males, one of which has had his characteristic 

 adornments more or less shorn, and rejection of 

 the disfigured suitors is noted, we are not justi- 

 fied in saying positively that the raison cCitre 

 of these decorations is the attraction of a wife, 

 though h priori reasoning certainly leads to this 

 conclusion. 



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