The Making of Species 



to say, very soon died ; and, as he had appeared 

 perfectly healthy, I fear grief was accountable 

 for his end a warning to future experimenters 

 to remove the rejected suitor as early as 

 possible. In the present case I took away the 

 favoured bird, and put in the side compartments 

 he and his rival had occupied two other cocks, 

 which differed in a similar way, though not to 

 the same extent. Again the hen kept at the 

 side of the rich red specimen, so, deeming I 

 knew her views about the correct colour for an 

 amadavat, I took her away too, and tried a 

 second hen with these two males. This was an 

 unusually big bird, and a very independent one, 

 for she would not make up her mind at all, and 

 ultimately I released all three without having 

 gained any result. 



Subsequently I made another experiment with 

 linnets. In this case all three were allowed to 

 fly in a big aviary-cage together, a method which 

 I do not recommend. 



In this case, however, the handsomest cock, 

 which showed much richer red on the breast, had 

 a crippled foot, and proved, as I had expected, 

 to be in fear of the other ; nevertheless, the hen 

 mated with him. It must be said, in justice to 

 the duller bird, that he did not press the advan- 

 tage his soundness gave him, but with a less 

 gentle bird than the linnet this would have 

 happened." 



312 



