NOTES AND QUERIES. ‘ 191 
reminded me somewhat of that of the Whimbrel.— CuaruEes W. 
BEnson (Bedford House, Balbriggan). 
Peregrine Falcon in Norfolk—I have much pleasure in recording 
a fine female Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) in full adult plumage ; 
weight just over two pounds nine ounces. It was shot at Hast 
Harling, Norfolk, by Mr. Frank Claxton, on February 5th last, and 
sent to me the next day.—J. A. CuarK (57, Weston Park, Crouch 
End, N.). 
Sexual Selection in Birds.—I have only just had the opportunity 
of seeing the editorial comment on the remarks made by me in ‘ The 
Zoologist’ (1907, p. 238) in regard to the exhibition by the King Bird 
of Paradise of the inside of its mouth, which is of a bright apple- 
green, as part of its nuptial display—viz. that Darwin referred to the 
black colouring of the gullet in Buceros bicornis as distinct from that 
of the female, which is flesh-coloured, but did not consider that this 
could have been due to sexual selection. But this does not militate 
against the view which I have brought forward, since it is evident 
that the reason why Darwin thought thus was that he had no idea, of 
such a part becoming visible during courtship any more than gene- 
rally ; for he says that it is very doubtful if the eyes, &c., of some 
birds have become variously coloured through sexual selection, since 
the mouth of this Buceros is as stated in the two sexes, “ and their 
external appearance or beauty would not be thus affected.” But of 
course, if the mouth was to be made visible, it would for all practical 
purposes be external, so that the appearance and beauty would be 
affected. The matter, in fact, is put upon a fresh footing altogether 
when it is found that various birds adorned in this curious manner do, 
in fact, display the part in question as part of their nuptial antics. 
That being so, there is nothing to differentiate such an inner from an 
outer adornment in relation to the theory of sexual selection, and inas- 
much as the former can hardly, or not often, be due to protective or 
other such alternative agencies, it becomes a very crucial, and there- 
fore important and interesting, point. Darwin, at any rate, I am 
convinced, would have been much interested had these facts been 
brought to his notice. We have now a little nucleus of birds, to 
which in time others will no doubt be added, who, in the nuptial 
season, make the distention of the jaws a special feature, thereby 
displaying in the most striking manner a surface of more or less 
brilliant or esthetic colouring—viz. the King Bird of Paradise, the 
Shag, Fulmar Petrel, Kittiwake, Puffin, Guillemot, Black Guillemot, 
and Razorbill—Hpmunpb SELovus. 
