SELFISHNESS NO DRAWBACK iii 



build tree or rock nests and have helpless young, 

 female feeding must not be looked for here, although 

 an observer of the home life of the Peregrine Falcon 

 has noted that the hen, the larger and stronger 

 bird, as is w^ell known, supplied her smaller mate 

 with food for the young, part of which he inci- 

 dentally ate himself — a case exactly the opposite 

 of that of the Merlins observed by Mr, Selous, 

 although the two species are not remotely related 

 and present just the same kind of sexual difference 

 — with the advantage in size on the female side. 



Except when it goes so far as feeding the sitting 

 or rearing hen and the young, it is doubtful whether 

 this habit has any survival value of importance — 

 it is merely the outcrop of kindliness of nature, 

 similar to that which restrains some birds, such as 

 the Cock and the male of the Cotton-teal (Nettapus 

 coromandelianus) from retaliating on a female under 

 attack from her. 



That it has little utilitarian significance is shown 

 by the fact that the selfish Pheasant can seduce 

 away a hen from the gallant and generous Cock if 

 he can conquer him in combat, which is usually 

 the case with all breeds of poultry but the Game ; 

 and the Carolina Duck will sometimes mate with 

 the related Mandarin Drake, though this bird's 

 idea of politeness to the female, even of his own 

 species, does not go further as a rule than not 

 rudely squabbling with her for a morsel. I must 

 admit, however, that I have once seen him go so 

 far as awkwardly to drop the bit and let her take 



