86 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



birds, which it seems to me would need far greater proof 

 to establish than the theory of sexual selection which 

 it is intended to supplant. According to this new hypoth- 

 esis the brilliant crests, etc., of birds have been largely 

 developed in order to frighten away enemies, but it 

 would require a great amount of observational evidence 

 to demonstrate this. On the contrary, in the majority 

 of cases the colors of the male bird are not in the least 

 calculated to inspire an enemy with fear. Let us take a 

 familiar example and compare the two views as explana- 

 tions. The house-finch {Carpoducus mexicanus frontalis), 

 is now at the height of the courting season and certainly 

 displays a great amount of energy in the prosecution of 

 his love-making. Three or four males may frequently 

 be seen following a single female from fence to fence, or 

 tree to tree. The wings are slightly lowered and the 

 birds either face the object of their devotions displaying 

 the bright crimson of the head, throat and breast, or 

 hop directly away exposing the rump patch of the same 

 color. Their vivacious song is also a feature of the 

 courtship. The dull colored female eventually flies away 

 with one of the competitors for her favor and the re- 

 maining males start in quest of other mates. It would 

 of course be utterly impossible to assert that the female 

 had chosen the most brilliantly attired of her suitors, 

 but it is indeed a significant fact that several males, or 

 at least two, have presented themselves to her, display- 

 ing their charms of song and dress, and that one of 

 them is. successful without any fighting with his com- 

 petitors. Another fact of some importance, — I have 

 seen a single male house-finch paying assiduous atten- 

 tions to a female, and utterly repulsed and deserted by 

 the object of his devotions. From the above it is 

 evident that it is not mere perseverance which deter- 

 mines which male shall be successful, as Mr. Wallace 



