SEXUAL SELECTION 825 



that a far greater number of bucks are produced tban does. 

 But estimations are of little value. 



Of mammalia in a state of nature I have been able to 

 learn very little. In regard to the common rat, I have re- 

 ceived conflicting statements. Mr. E. Elliot, of Laighwood, 

 informs me that a rat-catober assured Mm that he had always 

 found the males in great excess, even with the young in the 

 nest. In consequence of this, Mr* Elliot himself subse- 

 quently examined some hundred old ones, and found the 

 statement true. Mr. F. Buckland has bred a large number 

 of white rats, and he also believes that the males greatly 

 exceed the females. In regard to Moles, it is said that "the 

 males are much more numerous than the females;" "" and 

 as the catching of these animals is a special occupation the 

 statement may perhaps be trusted. Sir A. Smith, in de- 

 scribing an antelope of South Africa" {Kohus ellipsiprymnus), 

 remarks that, in the herds of this and other species, the males 

 are few in number compared with the females: the natives 

 believe that they are born in this proportion ; others believe 

 that the younger males are expelled from the herds, and Sir 

 A. Smith says that," though he has himself never seen herds 

 consisting of young males alone, others affirm that this does 

 occur. It appears probable that the young, when expelled 

 from the herd, would often fall a prey to the many beasts of 

 prey of the country. 



Birds. — "With respect to the Fowl, I have received only 

 one account, namely, that out of 1,001 chickens of a highly 

 bred stock of Cochins, reared during eight years by Mr. 

 Stretch, 487 proved males, and 514 females; i.e., as 94.7 to 

 100. In regard to domestic pigeons, there is good evidence 

 either that the males are produced in excess, or that they 

 live longer; for these birds invariably pair, and single 

 males, as Mr. Tegetmeier informs me, can always be pur- 

 chased cheaper than females. Usually the two birds reared 



«» Bell, "History of British Quadrupeds," p. 100. 



" "Illustrations of the Zoology of S. Africa," 1849, pi. 29. 



