WATCHING RINGED PLOVERS, ETC. 25 



about with the greatest ease, and the slightest turn 

 must be very effective. They would, therefore, often 

 see quite plainly whilst appearing to us not to be 

 noticing, and that the female should get the general 

 effect of the male's display is all that is required by 

 the theory of sexual selection — as conceived by 

 Darwin. Darwin has expressly said that he does 

 not imagine that the female birds consciously pick 

 out the most adorned or best-displaying males, but 

 only that such males have a more exciting effect 

 upon them, which leads, practically, to their being 

 selected. But though he has said this, it seems 

 hardly ever to be remembered by the opponents of 

 his view who, in combating it, almost always raise 

 a picture of birds critically observing patterns and 

 colours, as we might stuffs in a shop. However, 

 having regard to the bower - birds, and especially 

 that species which makes an actual flower garden, 

 even this does not seem so absolutely impossible. 

 The fact is, we are too conceited. With regard to 

 the female bird sometimes, as here, keeping turned 

 from the male while thus courted by him, this is, I 

 think, capable of explanation in a way not hostile 

 but favourable to the theory of sexual selection. At 

 any rate, in both these instances, " il fant rendre a 

 cela" either was, or seemed to be, the final con- 

 clusion of the female. 



As the nuptial season approaches, the peewits 

 begin to " stand," singly or in pairs, about the low, 

 marshy land, or to fly " coo-ee-ing " over it. " Coo- 

 00-00, hook-a-coo-ee, coo-ee," is their cry, far more, 

 to my ear, resembling this than the sound " pee-weet " 

 or " pee-wee-eet," as imitated in their name. At 



