iS66— 1872] SEXUAL S] 1 TION 



some innocuous matter into a dingy tint would be an Letter 433 

 analogous case, and then putting him and ordinary mali 

 with a female. A friend promised, but failed, to try a 

 converse exp< riment with white pigeons — viz., to stain their 

 tails and wings with magi nta or other colours, and then 

 observe what effect such a prodigious alteration would have 

 on their courtship. 1 It would be a fairer trial to cut off the 

 eyes of the tail-feathers of male peacocks; but who would 

 sacrifice the beauty of their bird for a whole season to please 

 a mere naturalist? 



To J. Jenner Weir. Utter 434 



Down, Feb. 29th '1868]. 



I have hardly ever received a note which has interested 

 me more than your last ; and this is no exaggeration. I had 

 a few cases of birds perceiving slight changes in the dn 

 their owners, but your facts are of tenfold value. I shall cer- 

 tainly make use of them, and need not say how much obliged 

 I should be for any others about which you feel confident. 



Do you know of any birds besides some of the gallinace; 

 which are polygamous? Do you know of an)- birds besides 

 pigeons, and, as it is said, the raven, which pair for their 

 whole lives? 



Many years ago I visited your brother, who showed me 

 his pigeons and gave me some valuable information. Could 

 you persuade him (but I fear he would think it high treason) 

 to stain a male pigeon some brilliant colour, and observe 

 whether it excited in the other pigeons, especially the female 

 admiration or contempt ? 



lor the chance of your liking t<> have a copy and being 

 able to find some parts which would interest you, I have 

 directed Mr. Murray to send you my recent book on / 'aviation 

 under Domestication. 



P.S. — I have somewhere safe references to cases of magpies, 

 of which one of a pair has been repeatedly ,1 think seven 

 times) killed, and yet another mate was always immediately 

 found.'- 1 A gamekeeper told me yesterday of analog< us cas 



1 See Letter 42 



- On this subject see Descent of Man, Ed. I., Vol. II., p. 104, where 

 Mr. Weir's observations were made use of. This statement is quoted 

 from Jenner {Phil. Trans., 1824) in the Descent of Man 1.1901 . p. 20. 



VOL. II. 5 



