CHAP. X.] SEXUAL SELECTION. 309 



(grounding his inference on alleged phenomena in birds) that 

 sexual selection is reversed, and that in this case the male 

 selects. This hypothetical reversion of a hypothetical process 

 to meet an exceptional case will appear to many rash indeed, 

 when they reflect that as to teeth, whiskers, general size, and 

 superciliary ridges this monkey &quot; follows the common rule of 

 the male excelling the female&quot; (vol. ii. p. 284). 



To turn now to the class on which Mr. Darwin especially 

 relies, we shall find that even birds supply us with 

 numerous instances which conflict with his hypo 

 thesis. Thus, speaking of the battling of male waders, our 

 author tells us: &quot;Two were seen to be thus engaged for half 

 an hour, until one got hold of the head of the other, which 

 would have been killed had not the observer interfered ; the 

 female all the time looking on as a quiet spectator&quot; (vol. i. 

 p. 40). As these battles must take place generally in the 

 absence of spectators, their doubtless frequently fatal ter 

 mination must limit greatly the power of selection which 

 Mr. Darwin attributes to the females. The same limit is 

 certainly imposed in the majority of gallinaceous birds, the 

 cocks of which fight violently ; and there can be little doubt 

 but that, as an almost invariable rule, the victorious birds 

 mate with the compaiatively passive hens. 



Again, how can we explain, on Mr. Darwin s hypothesis, the 

 existence of distinguishing male sexual marks, where it is the 

 male and not the female bird which selects ? Yet the wild 

 turkey-cock, a distinguished bird enough, is said by Mr. 

 Darwin (vol. ii. p. 207) to be courted by the females ; and he 

 quotes (vol. ii. p. 120) Sir E. Heron as saying, &quot; that with 

 peafowl the first advances are always made by the female.&quot; 

 And of the capercailzie he says, &quot; The females flit round the 

 male while he is parading, and solicit his attention.&quot; 



But though, of course, the sexual instinct always seeks its 

 gratification, does the female ever select a particular plumage ? 

 The strongest instance given by Mr. Darwin is as follows : 



&quot; Sir lv. Heron during many years kept an account of the habits of 

 the peafowl, which he bred in large numbers. He states that the hens 



