72 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



fowl still show off in a manner better suited to the riehly-hued Jungle- 

 fowl. That colouration and habits may be transferred from the male 

 to the female we know ; many hen birds assume male plumage while 

 still far from being senile and barren ; and in the English game-fowl 

 and Indian Aseel the intense pugnacity of the male has been trans- 

 ferred to hens and chicks as well, although undesired. On the other 

 hand, there is very good reason for supposing that the display-poses of 

 birds are simply the method by which the particular species or natural 

 group exhibits any excitement, sexual or otherwise, as the case may be. 

 Take, for instance, that very excitable bird, the Turkey. The cock's 

 showing-off position is that assumed by both sexes when fighting, the 

 wings being dropped, and the tail raised and spread. So with the 

 Common Fowl ; two cocks or hens meditating a fight assume the side- 

 way-slanting attitude which is so characteristic of the courting chanti- 

 cleer, and so well adapted to display the rich hues of back and wing 

 found in the original black-breasted red — the Jungle-fowl colour. As 

 showing the thoroughly instinctive character of the performance, I may 

 mention that the Grey and Green Jungle-fowls (Gallus sonneraii and 

 G. varius) show off in practically the same position as the tame fowl. 

 So also do the ruffed Pheasants of the genus Chrysolophus — the Golden 

 and Amherst — this genus being undoubtedly very near the Jungle- 

 fowl. The hens of these Pheasants assume the slanting position when 

 angry. In the Peacock many people must have observed that the 

 young male will show off in due form before he has any train. I have 

 heard that the hen assumes the show position when excited, and I 

 recently saw a mere chick only about the size of a fowl take up this 

 posture when alarmed by a cat. Among waterfowl the similarity of 

 the gestures, under any excitement, of both sexes of the Muscovy Duck 

 is very noticeable. The Swan also, whether male or female, exhibits 

 either anger or sexual passion in the same way, in the latter case the 

 wings being laid flat, and the plumage of the upper part of the neck 

 puffed out. The lying out on the water as an invitation to pairing is a 

 very marked gesture in the female Mandarin Duck (Aex galericulata) ; 

 I have seen a mated female thus solicit her own male on several occa- 

 sions, and unmated birds have done the same with an alien drake. In 

 London last year I saw, in St. James's Park, a pair of the allied 

 Summer Duck {Aex sponsa) swimming along, while a common Park 

 Mallard was swimming so as to cut across their course a little way 

 ahead. Although he obviously had no intention against her, the 

 female A. sponsa laid herself out on the water in the pairing posture of 

 the female Mandarin Duck, pointing with her head to the Mallard. 

 Immediately her mate rushed and drove the Mallard away, which waa 



