~ $000 THE ZooLocist—APRIL, 1872. 
* All birds living in a state of polygamy are overbearing and quarrelsome 
in the highest degree; they fight to the death, not only with their rivals in 
the tender passion, but also for the sake of being lord paramount; and they 
show the most extraordinary courage and perseverance in these contests. 
Lenz gives us an example of this in the domestic fowl :—In the month of 
May, 1839, I happened to have a hen turkey, which had just hatched off a 
brood of twenty chicks, and, as soon as they were fit, placed mother and 
youngsters in the farmyard. Scarcely were they installed in their new 
abode when a young cockerel, barely a year old, dashed at the turkey, and 
a terrific battle ensued. As long as the two birds confined themselves to 
flying at one another, matters were pretty equal; when, however, it came 
to pecking, the tide of war turned decidedly in favour of the turkey, who, 
from its superior height, had the advantage of being able to strike directly 
downwards. At last it punished the cock’s head so severely that he could 
scarcely stir. I took him away, trusting he would have the good sense to 
leave the turkey alone in future, and, placing him in a quiet corner, told 
one of my people to keep an eye on the bird: I then left. On returning, 
about two hours later, the person I had left in charge told me that he had 
at first forgotten the birds, and found them later in the yard together. It 
appeared that the cockerel, leaving his corner, had again entered the yard 
and resumed the engagement, for he was found bleeding, and to all appear- 
ance dead, the turkey, with bloody beak, giving him an occasional extra 
peck. ‘I have laid him in the stable,’ said my informant. Feeling 
excessively annoyed, as the cockerel was an especial favourite of mine, I 
went to the stable, and, to my great delight, I found my poor bird still alive. 
Allowing him two days to recover, I again turned him down in the yard, 
feeling convinced that this time he would follow the old adage, that 
‘ Discretion is the better part of valour,’ and keep out of the turkey’s way. 
But without a moment's hesitation the cockerel rushes recklessly at his old 
enemy, fighting with the energy of despair ; and finally, with some assistance, 
and by my drawing its attention once or twice to myself, he succeeded in 
putting the turkey to flight. This ended the struggle; and his adversary 
never afterwards questioned his right to the title of ‘cock of the walk.’”— 
P. 101. 
I may here observe that this combative propensity of males is by 
no means confined to polygamists; it is most prominent and 
observable in these because competitors are often on the spot: let 
a strange male intrude on the domain of a monogamist, even our 
redbreasted favourite, and we shall see an equal degree of pugnacity 
evinced. 
A trait in bird character has frequently been observed, but never 
clearly explained; the almost abject deference which is shown by 
