"hap. VI 11 Sexual Selection. 211 



ducing -vocal or instrumental music— and their glands for 

 omitting odours, most of these latter structures serving only to 

 ttilure or excite the female. It is clear that these characters are 

 the result of sexual and not of ordinary selection, since unarmed, 

 unornamented, or unattractive males would succeed equally well 

 in the battle for life and in leaving a numerous progeny, but for 

 the presence of better endowed males. We may infer that this 

 would be the case, because the females, which are unarmed and 

 unornamented, are able to survive and procreate their kind. 

 Secondary sexual characters of the kind just referred to, will be 

 fully discussed in the following chapters, as being in many 

 respects interesting, but especially as depending on the will, 

 choice, and rivalry of the individuals of either sex. When we 

 behold two males fighting for the possession of the female, or 

 several male birds displaying their gorgeous plumage, and per- 

 ibrming strange antics before an assembled body of females, we 

 cannot doubt that, though led by instinct, they know what they 

 are about, and consciously exert their mental and bodily powers. 



Just as man can improve the breed of his game-cocks by the 

 selection of those birds which are victorious in the cockpit, so it 

 appears that the strongest and most vigorous males, or those 

 provided with the best weapons, have prevailed under nature, 

 and have led to the improvement of the natural breed or species. 

 A slight degree of variability leading to some advantage, how- 

 over slight, in reiterated deadly contests would suffice for the 

 woik of sexual selection; and it is certain that secondary sexual 

 characters are eminently variable. Just as man can give beauty, 

 according to his standard of taste, to his male poultry, or more 

 strictly can modify the beauty originally acquired by the parent 

 species, can give to the Sebright bantam a new and elegant 

 plumage, an erect and peculiar carriage — so it appears that 

 female birds in a state of nature, have by a long selection of the 

 more attractive males, added to their beauty or other attractive 

 qualities. No doubt this implies powers of discrimination and 

 taste on the part of the female which will at first appear 

 extremely improbable ; but by the facts to be adduced here- 

 after, I hope to be able to shew that the females actually 

 have these powers. When, however, it is said that the lower 

 animals have a sense of beauty, it must not be supposed that 

 such sense is comparable with that of a cultivated man, with his 

 nuiltiform and complex associated ideas. A more just com- 

 parison would be between the taste for the beautiful in animals, 

 and tliat in the lowest savages, who admire and deck themselves 

 M'itli any brilliant, glittering, or curious object. 



From our ignorance on several points, the precise manner lu 



