PREFERENCE BY THE FEMALE. 411 



"exhibiting the strongest desire to please mutually," and after 

 many caresses, each male leads off his partner on the wing. Audu- 

 bon likewise carefully observed the wild flocks of Canada geese 

 (Anser canadensis), and gives a graphic description of their love- 

 antics; he says that the birds which had been previously mated 

 "renewed their courtship as early as the month of January, while 

 "the others would be contending or coquetting for hours every day, 

 "until all seemed satisfied with the choice they had made, after 

 "which, although they remained together, any person could easily 

 "perceive that they were careful to keep in pairs. I have ob- 

 "served also that the older the birds, the shorter were the pre- 

 "liminaries of their courtship. The bachelors and old maids, 

 "whether in regret, or not caring to be disturbed by the bustle, 

 "quietly moved aside and lay down at some distance from the 

 "rest."™ Many similar statements with respect to other birds 

 could be cited from this same observer. 



Turning now to domesticated and confined birds, I will com- 

 mence by giving what little I have learnt respecting the courtship 

 of fowls. 



I have received long letters on this subject from Messrs. Hewitt 

 and Tegetmeier, and almost an essay from the late Mr. Brent. It 

 will be admitted by every one that these gentlemen, so well known 

 from their published works, are careful and experienced observers. 

 They do not believe that the females prefer certain males on ac- 

 count of the beauty of their plumage; but some allowance must be 

 made for the artificial state under which these birds have long been 

 kept. Mr. Tegetmeier is convinced that a game-cock, though dis- 

 figured by being dubbed and with his hackles, trimmed, would be 

 accepted as readily as a male retaining all his natural ornaments. 

 Mr. Brent, however, admits that the beauty of the male probably 

 aids in exciting the female; and her acquiescence is necessary. 

 Mr. Hewitt is convinced that the union is by no means left to mere 

 chance, for the female almost invariably prefers the most vigor- 

 ous, defiant, and mettlesome male; hence it is almost useless, as 

 he remarks, "to attempt true breeding if a game-cock in good 

 "health and condition runs the locality, for almost every hen on 

 "leaving the roosting-place will resort to the game-cock, even 

 "though that bird may not actually drive away the male of her 

 "own variety." Under ordinary circumstances the males and fe- 

 males of the fowl seem to come to a mutual understanding by 

 means of certain gestures, described to me by Mr. Brent. But 

 hens will often avoid the officious attentions of young males. Old 

 hens, and hens of a pugnacious disposition, as the same writer in- 

 forms me, dislike strange males, and will not yield until well 



*• Audubon, 'Ornitholog. Biography," vol i. pp. 191, 349; vol. il. pp. 42, 

 275; vol. iii. p. 2. 



