xi COLOUR AND SONG 305 



Museum at South Kensington there arc some admir- 

 able illustrations of protective coloration. 



Sexual Coloration, Song, Antics, Combats. 



Where there is a difference between the two sexes 

 it is almost always the cock-bird that is the more 

 brilliant of the two. The vocal powers also of the hens 

 are very limited. The superior endowments of the 

 males are accompanied by two allied characteristics, 

 the love of displaying their fine colours and voices, 

 and great pugnacity. The Peacock spreads out his 

 splendid sea of eyes, and there can hardly be a doubt 

 that during the display he is filled with pride and 

 vanity. Sometimes he will back against a wall ; 

 whether to hide the less brilliant back view, or to 

 escape from the wind is not clear. The Turkey-cock 

 puffs himself out, spreads his tail, and drag's his wing- 

 tips on the ground, no doubt with a view to effect. 

 The Barndoor-cock looks often the personification of 

 pride. Many of our small birds are constantly singing, 

 and there is no doubt that love of display, emulation, 

 and excitement are among the motives that actuate 

 them. Bird fanciers match birds against each other to 

 see which will sing the longest, and a really keen one 

 will sometimes sing till he drops dead. Where Nightin- 

 gales are common they often seem to be singing against 

 each other. Bird-catchers attract Cock Chaffinches by 

 exposing a stuffed bird to view while a first-rate singer 

 carols in a cage out of sight. To decide for certain 

 what the motive in a bird's mind may be, is, no doubt, 

 impossible. Even to know what is in the mind of 



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