THE DESCENT OF MAN 



seems that young stags under three years old do not roar 

 or bellow, and that the old ones begin bellowing at the com- 

 mencement of the breeding season, at first only occasionally 

 and moderately, while they restlessly wander about in search 

 of the females. Their battles are prefaced by loud and pro- 

 longed bellowing, but during the actual conflict they are 

 silent. Animals of all kinds which habitually use their 

 voices utter various noises under any strong emotion, as 

 when enraged and preparing to fight; but this may merely 

 be the result of nervous excitement, which leads to the spas- 

 modic contraction of almost all the muscles of the body, as 

 when a man grinds his teeth and clinches his fists in rage 

 or agony. No doubt stags challenge each other to mortal 

 combat by bellowing; but those with the more powerful 

 voices, unless at the same time the stronger, better armed, 

 and more courageous, would not gain any advantage over 

 their rivals. 



It is possible that the roaring of the lion may be of some 

 service to him by striking terror into his adversary; for 

 when enraged he likewise erects his manciand thus instinc- 

 tively tries to make himself appear as terrible as possible. 

 But it can hardly be supposed that the bellowing of the 

 stag, even if it be of service to him in this way, can have 

 been important enough to have led to the periodical enlarge- 

 ment of the throat. Some writers suggest that the bellowing 

 serves as a call to the female; but the experienced observers 

 above quoted inform me that female deer do not search for 

 the male, though the males search eagerly for the females, 

 as indeed might be expected from what we know .of the hab- 

 its of other male quadrupeds. The voice of the female, on 

 the other hand, quickly brings to her one or more stags,' as 

 is well known to the hunters who in wild countries imitate 

 her cry. If we could believe that the male had the power 

 to excite or allure the female by his voice, the periodical 



» See Major W. Eoas King ("The Sportsman in Canada," 1866, pp. 53, 131) 

 on the habits of the moose and wild reindeer. 



