DISPLAY BY THE MALE. 



389 



occasionally occurs with grouse at their balz-places, and as may 

 be noticed with the peacock; this latter bird, however, evidently 

 wishes for a spectator of some kind, and, as I have often seen, 

 will show off his finery before poultry, or even pigs.'" All natu- 

 ralists who have closely attended to the habits of birds, whether 

 in a state of nature or under confinement, are unanimously of 

 opinion that the males take delight in displaying their beauty. 

 Audubon frequently speaks of the male as endeavoring in various 

 ways to charm the female. Mr. Gould, after describing some 



Fig. 50. 



Rupicola crooea, male (T. W. Wood). 



peculiarities in a male humming-bird, says he has no doubt that 

 it has the power of displaying them to the greatest advantage 

 before the female. Dr. Jerdon™ insists that the beautiful plumage 

 of the male serves "to fascinate and attract the female." Mr. 

 Bartlett, at the Zoological Gardens, expressed himself to me in 

 the strongest terms to the same effect. 



'^ See also 'Ornamental Poultry,' by Rev. B. S. Dixon, 1848, p. 8. 



*« 'Birds of India,' -'jitroduct. vol. i. p. xxiv. ; on the peacock, vol. 

 iii. p. 507. See Gould's 'Introduction to the Trochilidae,' X861, pp. 15 

 and 111. 



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