1492 THE STORY OF THE UNIVERSE 



the struggle, and then retires with the conqueror. 

 The war is, perhaps, severest between the males of 

 polygamous animals, and these seem oftenest pro- 

 vided with special weapons. The males of carniv- 

 orous animals are already well armed; though to 

 them and to others special means of defence may be 

 given through means of sexual selection, as the mane 

 of the lion and the hooked jaw to the male salmon; 

 for the shield may be as important for victory as the 

 sword or spear. 



Among birds, the contest is often of a more peace- 

 ful character. All those who have attended to the 

 subject believe that there is the severest rivalry be- 

 tween the males of many species to attract, by singing, 

 the females. The rock-thrush of Guiana, birds of 

 paradise, and some others, congregate ; and successive 

 males display with the most elaborate care, and show 

 off in the best manner, their gorgeous plumage; they 

 likewise perform strange antics before the females, 

 which, standing by as spectators, at last choose the 

 most attractive partner. Those who have closely at- 

 tended to birds in confinement well know that they, 

 often take individual preferences and dislikes: thus 

 Sir R. Heron has described how a pied peacock was 

 eminently attractive to all his hen birds. I can not 

 here enter on the necessary details; but if man can in 

 a short time give beauty and an elegant carriage to 

 his bantams, according to his standard of beauty, I 

 can see no good reason to doubt that female birds, by 

 selecting, during thousands of generations, the most 

 melodious or beautiful males, according to their 

 standard of beauty, might produce a marked effect 



