BIRDS. 447 



is not surprising, for with the common linnet, which 

 belongs to the same family, the crimson forehead and 

 breast are displayed only during the summer in England, 

 while in Madeira these colors are retained throughout the 

 year. * 



Display by Male Birds of Their Plumage. Ornaments 

 of all kinds, whether permanently or temporarily gained, 

 are sedulously displayed by the males, and apparently serve 

 to excite, attract or fascinate the females. But the males 

 will sometimes display their ornaments when not in the 

 presence of the females, as occasionally occurs with grouse 

 at their balz-places, and as may be noticed with the 

 peacock; this latter bird, however, evidently wishes for a 

 spectator of some kind, and, as I have often seen, will show 

 off his finery before poultry, or even pigs, f All naturalists 

 who have closely attended to the habits of birds, whether 

 in a state of nature or under confinement, are unani- 

 mously of opinion that the males take delight in displaying 

 their beauty. Audubon frequently speaks of the male as 

 endeavoring in various ways to charm the female. Mr. 

 Gould, after describing some peculiarities in a male 

 humming-bird, says he has no doubt that it has the power 

 of displaying them to the greatest advantage before the 

 female. Dr. JerdonJ insists that the beautiful plumage of 

 the male serves '^'^ to fascinate and attract the female."' 

 Mr. Bartlett, at the Zoological Gardens, expressed himself 

 to me in the strongest terms to the same effect. 



It must be a grand siglit in the forests of India ^' to come 

 suddenly on twenty or thirty pea-fowl, the males displaying 

 their gorgeous trains, and strutting about in all the pomp 

 of pride before the gratified females." The wild turkey-cock 

 erects his glittering plumage, expands his finely-zoned tail 

 and barred wing-feathers, and altogether, with his crimson 



*0n the pelican, see Sclater, in " Proc. Zool. Soc," 1868, p. 265. 

 On the American finches, see Audubon, " Ornitb. Biograpby," vol. i, 

 pp. 174, 221, and Jerdon, " Birds of India," vol. ii, p. 383. On tbe 

 FringUla eannabina of Madeira, Mr. E. Vernon Harcourt, " Ibis," 

 vol. V, 1863, p. 230. 



f See also " Ornamental Poultry," by Rev. E. S. Dixen, 1848, p. 8. 



t*' Birds of India," introduct., vol, i, p. 24, on the peacock, vol. 

 iii, p. 507. See Gould's " Introduction to the Trochilidae," 1861, pp. 

 15,111. 



