BIRDS 93 



other suitors, but will hold the females together. It is 

 well known that a stag, or even a cock, treats its 

 dependents roughly, and will not let them break loose. 

 If, then, a male terrifies the female by its appearance 

 and conduct, the latter will be less likely to wander away 

 after forbidden fruit, and will not venture to make too 

 much resistance to the allurements of the male. Unfor- 

 tunately, many animals take Nietzsche's " little truth " 

 to heart: "You are going to the women? Do not 

 forget the whip." Everyone who has had occasion to 

 observe the love-making of animals in a zoological 

 garden will have noticed that it is more frequently a 

 question of being bullied, than of listening tenderly to 

 the wishes of the male. In fact, amongst human beings 

 it is chiefly the strength that conquers women ; not 

 merely strength of body, but the power of thought, of 

 mind and will in a word, the strength of the whole 

 masculine nature. But in the case of man it is usually 

 a question of choice on the part of the women, and we 

 must exclude this element in dealing with the animals, 

 and recognise force alone ; whether this is used actively 

 for the coercion of the female, or her resistance is broken 

 down by the mere perception of it. 



Can we explain all the masculine characteristics in 

 this way? Unfortunately, we must admit that we 

 cannot. Colours present the greatest difficulty. Many 

 colours, of course, may be for the purpose of scaring 

 away rivals, such as the red spot over the eye of many 

 wild-cocks, which gives it a fierce expression and makes 

 it look larger. In the case of man the masculine dress 

 at all times is thought to have had its origin in the 



