238 Mr. Frank Finn,


distinctly preferred the handsomest drake in at least one

case.


VI. A hen Bird of Paradise ( Paradisea apodal) at the London

Zoo preferred a full-plmnaged cock to one in the young

plumage, though both showed off.


On the other side, I have seen :—


I. That on the London Park waters, Mallard drakes with

some aberration of colour (grey breast or reddish flanks)

get mates as readily as normal birds, and may have

mates when these cannot obtain them. The grey¬

breasted birds are duller than the normal drake.


II. Among a mixed lot of poultry, bantam hens preferred a

half-Spanish cock, nearly all black and much too large,

to bantam cocks, and to a beautiful medium-sized cock

coloured just like the Jungle-fowl (i.e. a black-red).


III. In the London Zoo, a hen of the Common Peafowl (yar.


nigripeunis ) fell in love with a male Javan Peacock

(.Pavo muticus) neglecting a Common Peacock confined

with her. Here again we have a case of inter-species

mating, but the species do not meet in nature.


IV. Also in the Zoo, a female domestic Muscovy Duck pre¬


ferred, of two of her brothers confined with her, one

marked with white about the head to a typical black¬

headed one. It is true the white-headed one was the

stronger, and gave the other no chance, but after his

removal the duck would have nothing to do with the

other, but wanted to get to a Spur-winged Gander

(.Plectropterus gambensis) next door.


V. Another Zoo case was that of two male Red-breasted


Mergansers ( Merganser serrator ), of which the smaller,

duller, and less-well-marked bird got the female; here

again the bird which was less typical was the stronger—

he drove his rival ashore and would not let him go near

the female. But she, though she showed no special

attachment to him, did not show any sympathy with

the beaten bird by keeping company with him, although

a female bird does sometimes try to do this.



