Chap. XIII.] DISPLAY BY THE MALE. 85 



then are able to kill, with their poisoned arrows, four or 

 five males, one after the other. ^'^ With Birds of Paradise 

 a dozen or more fuU-plumaged males congregate in a tree 

 to hold a dancing-party, as it is called by the natives ; 

 and here flying about, raising their wings, elevating their 

 exquisite plumes, and making them vibrate, the whole tree 

 seems, as Mr. Wallace remarks, to be filled with waving 

 plumes. When thus engaged, they become so absorbed 

 that a skilful archer may shoot nearly the whole party. 

 These birds, when kept in confinement in the Malay Archi- 

 pelago, are said to take much care in keeping their feathers 

 clean ; often spreading them out, examining them, and re- 

 moving every speck of dirt. One observer, who kept 

 several pairs alive, did not doubt that the display of the 

 male was intended to please the female.*' 



The gold -pheasant {^Thaumalea picta^ during his 

 courtship not only expands and raises his splendid frill, 

 but turns it, as I have myself seen, obliquely toward the 

 female on whichever side she may be standing, obviously 

 in order that a large surface may be displayed before 

 her.** Mr. Bartlett has observed a male Polyplectron 

 (Fig. 51) in the act of courtship, and has shown me a 

 specimen stuffed in the attitude then assumed. The tail 

 and wing feathers of this bird are ornamented with beau- 

 tiful ocelli, like those on the peacock's train. Now, when 

 the peacock displays himself, he expands and erects his 

 tail transversely to his body, for he stands in front of the 

 female, and has to show off, at the same time, his rich 



83 'Journal of R. Geograph. Soc' vol. x. 1840, p. 236. 



^ 'Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist.' vol. xiii. 1854, p. 15*7; also Wal- 

 lace, ibid. vol. XX. 185*7, p. 412, and ' The Malay Archipelago,' vol. ii. 

 1869, p. 252. Also Dr. Bennett, as quoted by Brehm, ' Thierleben,' B. 

 iii. s. 326. 



84 Mr. T. W. Wood has given ('The Student,' April, 18*70, p. 115) a 

 full account of this manner of display, which he calls the lateral or one- 

 sided, by the gold-pheasant and by the Japanese pheasant, Ph. versicolor. 



