ELTMINATTON AND SELECTION. 



283 



cries, or of prodxicing instrumental music ; and the males in 

 consequence differ from the females in their vocal organs or 

 in the structure of certain feathers. Prom the curiously 

 (liversiiied moans i'or producing various sounds, we gain a 

 high idea of the imjjortanco of this means of courtship. 

 Many birds endeavour to charm tho females by love-dances 

 or antics, porfornuid on tho ground or in the air, and some- 

 times at prepared places. But ornaments of many kinds, 

 the most brilliant tints, combs and wattles, beautiful 

 plumes, elongated feathers, top-knots, and so forth, are by 

 far the commonest means. In some cases, mere novelty 

 appears to have acted as a charm. The ornaments of the 

 males must be highly important to them, for they have 

 been ac(]uired in not a few cases at tlio cost of increased 

 danger from enemies, and oven at some loss of power in 

 fighting with their rivals.* . . . What, then, are we to 

 conclude from those facts and considerations ? Does the 

 male parade his charms with so much pomp and rivalry 

 for no purpose ? Are we not justified in believing that 

 the female exerts a choice, and that she receives the ad- 

 dresses of tho male who ploasos her most ? " f 



Here again, then, we have the combined action of elimina- 

 tion and selection. And now wo may note that selection 

 involves intelligence ; or, since it may bo objected tliat 

 selection is in some cases instinctive, let us rather say, 

 involves the mind-element, or the element of consciousness. 

 Hence it is that when we come to consider the evolution of 

 human folk, the principle of elimination is so profoundly 

 modified by the principle of selection. Not only are the 

 weaker eliminated by the inexorable pressure of competi- 

 tion, but we select the more fortunate individuals and heap 



• " Descent of Man," Buramnry of chap, xvi., pt. ii. 

 t Ibid. chap. xiv. 



