SEXUAL SELECTION IN BIRDS. 65 



only one of these (as I am inclined to think) has paired, in either 

 case it is with only one bird out of some nine or ten, perhaps, 

 that were there, at the time— fourteen or fifteen, I think, being 

 the full number of the Euffs that came in during the afternoon. 

 If this is a criterion of the general course of things, one would 

 think that the majority of the Ruffs must suffer from enforced 

 celibacy, and this would account for such sexual aberrations as I 

 have before mentioned, and a further example of which took 

 place this afternoon, a certain male, upon three or four occa- 

 sions, coupling, to all intents and purposes, with a certain other 

 one. This was during the second visit of the one of the Reeves, 

 and in the height of the excitement consequent upon it. 



About 6.20 a Reeve — that one between whom and the brown 

 Ruff the rite has several times been performed — flies in. This 

 time the actual wooing of the males is more marked. Several 

 press about her, ruffling their feathers, and one in particular — a 

 handsome blue-ruffed one — the habitue I spoke of, and who has 

 before been distinguished by female attention — presses more than 

 once against her. She, however, is not moved by any, but when 

 the brown bird comes up it is different. Now, however, there is 

 interference, and the pairing, which I think would otherwise 

 have taken place, is prevented. On one occasion, just when it 

 seems about to be, a Ruff, almost devoid of nuptial plumage, 

 runs up and gives the successful lover a peck. On another he 

 has to fight with this or that bird whilst the general hurly-burly 

 about the Reeve is greater. Thus things cannot reach their goal, 

 and the Reeve, quite impervious to the charms of any other about 

 her, stands, now, quietly, and looking quite unconscious, by the 

 side of her own brown bird. At 6.40 she flies off, some of the 

 Ruffs having gone before. I forget if any accompany her — one 

 or two do, I think — but the brown one, at any rate, remains. 



(To be continued.) 



