826 THE DESCENT OF MAN 



from the two eggs laid in the same nest are a male and 

 a female; but Mr. Harrison Weir, who has been so large a 

 breeder, says that he has often bred two cocks from the same 

 nest, and seldom two hens; moreover, the hen is generally 

 the weaker of the two, and more liable to perish. 



With respect to birds in a state of nature, Mr. Gould and 

 others" are convinced that the males are generally the more 

 numerous; and as the young males of many species resemble 

 the females, the latter would natarally appear to be the 

 more numerous. Large numbers of pheasants are reared 

 by Mr. Baker, of Leadenhall, from eggs laid by wild birds, 

 and he informs Mr. Jenner Weir that four or five males to 

 one female are generally produced. An experienced observer 

 remarks" that in Scandinavia the broods of the capercailzie 

 and blackcock contain more males than females; and that 

 with the Dal-ripa (a kind of ptarmigan) more males than 

 females attend the leks or places of courtship ; but this lat- 

 ter circumstance is accounted for by some observers by a 

 greater number of hen birds being killed by vermin. Prom 

 various facts given by White, of Selborne," it seems clear 

 that the males of the partridge must be in considerable' 

 excess in the south of England; and I have been assured 

 that this is the case in Scotland. Mr. "yVeir, on inquiring 

 from the dealers, wh6 receive at certain seasons large num- 

 bers of ruffs {^Machetes pugnax), was told that the males 

 are much the more numerous. This same naturalist has 

 also inquired for me from the bird-catchers, who annually 

 catch an astonishing number of various small species alive 

 for the London market, and he was unhesitatingly answered 

 by an old and trustworthy man, that with the chaffinch the 

 males are in large excess; he thought as high as 2 males 

 to 1 female, or at least as high as 5 to 3." The males of 



" Brehm ("Blust. Thierleben," B. iv. s. 990) comes to the same conclusion. 



«3 On the authority of L. Lloyd, "Game Birds of Sweden," ISBT, pp. 

 12 132 



' " "Nat. Hist, of Selborne," letter xxix., edit, of 1825, vol. i. p. 139. 



'' Mr. Jenner Weir received similar information, on making inquiries during 

 the following year, To show the number of living cha£Bnches caught, I may 



