Male Attractiveness 



" Again, the most beautiful males are often 

 extremely combative ; and on the conventional 

 view this is a mere coincidence, yet a most 

 unfortunate one for Mr Darwin's view. Battle 

 thus constantly decides the question of pairing, 

 and in cases where, by hypothesis, the female 

 should have most choice, she has simply to yield 

 to the victor." 



Darwin, with characteristic fairness, quotes 

 some instances which appear to be opposed to 

 the theory that the hen selects the most beauti- 

 ful of her suitors. He informs us that Messrs 

 Hewitt, Tegetmeier, and Brent, who have all 

 had a long experience of domesticated birds, 

 " do not believe that the females prefer certain 

 males on account of the beauty of their plumage. 

 ... Mr Tegetmeier is convinced that a game- 

 cock, though disfigured by being dubbed and 

 with his hackles trimmed, would be accepted as 

 readily as a male retaining all his natural orna- 

 ments. Mr Brent, however, admits that the 

 beauty of the male probably aids in exciting the 

 female ; and her acquiescence is necessary. Mr 

 Hewitt is convinced that the union is by no 

 means left to mere chance, for the female almost 

 invariably prefers the most vigorous, defiant, and 

 mettlesome male " ; and, in consequence, when 

 there is a game-cock in the farmyard, the hens 

 will all resort to him in preference to the cock 

 of their own breed. Darwin thinks that "some 



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