APRIL 57 



The golden pheasant is not quite so nice in his habits 

 as a dandy so gorgeously attired should be. He dearly 

 loves a bit of carrion. In their native country, China, 

 it is said that these birds burrow in graveyards and 

 devour the dead villagers. 



The contrast between the sexes is especially striking 

 among polygamous birds such as pheasants. The reason 

 for this is not obvious, for it would seem more important 

 for the perpetuation of the race that the mate of many 

 wives should escape the risks incurred by the wearing 

 of fine feathers than that the life of a bird which would 

 leave but one widow should be preserved by means of 

 inconspicuous raiment. Yet among birds so nearly akin 

 as the members of the grouse group, the plumage of 

 the monogamous red grouse differs not much in male 

 and female, but the polygamous capercailzie cock and 

 blackcock bear no resemblance in plumage to their 

 dusky hens. 



Among British waterfowl, all of which are mono- 

 gamous, there is much variation of rule. Swans, geese, 

 coots, and waterhens exhibit little outward distinction 

 of sex, except in size; but among ducks the drake is 

 always conspicuous by greater brilliancy of plumage, 

 with a single exception, namely, the sheldrake. In this 

 species both sexes display the same showy livery of dark 

 green, white, and chestnut, with scarlet bills and pink 

 feet (beaked and membered gules, the heralds would 

 term it). But then the female sheldrake incubates 

 underground, and therefore has no use for protective 

 coloration. Which circumstance suggests a problem 

 (propounded already, methinks, in these random notes). 



