402 The Descent of Man. Past U, 



Most of the British Buntings are plain coloured birds ; but in 

 Hie spring the feathers on the head of the male reed-bunting 

 {limhcriza nchceriiculns) acquire a fine black colour by the 

 abrasion of the dusky tips; and these are erected during the 

 act of courtship. Mr. "Weir has kept two species of Amadinn 

 from Australia: the ^. cattanotis is a very small and chastely 

 coloured finch, with a dark tail, white rump, and jet-black upper 

 tail-coverts, each of the latter being marked with three large con- 

 spicuous oval spots of white." This species, when courting the 

 female, slightly spreads out and vibrates these parti-colourcd 

 tail-coverts in a very peculiar manner. The male Amadina 

 Lnthami behaves very differently, exhibiting before the female 

 his brilliantly spotted breast, scarlet rump, and scarlet upper 

 tail-coverts. I may here add from Dr. Jerdon that the Indian 

 bulbul (^Pycnopotus lixmorrhous) has its under tail-coverts of a 

 crimson colour, and these, it might be thought, could never be 

 well exhibited; but the bird " when excited often spreads them 

 " out laterally, so that they can be seen even from above." ^^ 

 The crimson under tail-coverts of some other birds, as with one 

 of the woodpeckers, Picus majur, can be seen without any such 

 display. The common pigeon has iridescent feathers on the 

 breast, and every one must have seen how the male inflates 

 his breast whilst courting the female, thus shewing them off 

 to the best advantage. One of the beautiful bronze-winged 

 pigeons of Austraha {Ocypliaps lophoUs) behaves, as described to 

 me by Mr. Weir, very differently: the male, whilst standing 

 before the female, lowers his head almost to the ground, spreads 

 out and raises his tail, and half expands his wings. He then 

 alternately and slowly raises and depi'esses his body, so that the 

 iridescent metallic feathers are all seen at once, and gUtter in 

 the sun. 



Sufficient facts have now been given to shew with what care 

 male birds display their various charms, and this they do with 

 the utmost skill. Whilst preening their feathers, they have 

 frequent opportunities for admiring themselves, and of studying 

 how best to exhibit their beauty. But as all the males of the 

 same species display themselves in exactly the same manner, it 

 appears that actions, at first perhaps intentional, have become 

 instinctive. If so, we ought not to accuse birds of conscious 

 vanity ; yet when we see a peacock strutting about, with ex- 

 panded and quivering tail-feathers, he seems the very emblem 

 af pride and vanity. 



•' Ft)i the description ^^ these p, 4-17. 

 bii-db, sue ni.iilil's ' I-JiindbnoK to the " 'Birds of India,' vol. ii, p. 80. 



Birds of .-ViLNlKiii:!,' vol. i. 1:65, 



