SEXUAL SELECTION IN BIRDS. 173 



Montagu says (speaking, I think, of birds in confinement), "when 

 either could obtain a firm hold with the bill, a leap succeeded," 

 but to me the springing and biting have always seemed to be 

 independent of each other. They leap, commonly, before they 

 close, and then continue to do so, as a matter of course, the 

 object seeming to be, as with other birds, to get above the 

 adversary, and strike down upon him with wings and feet and 

 bill. Of course, when one bird is displaced by another, others 

 are displaced also, leading to general commotion, and moreover 

 the mere anticipation of any fresh arrival is matter of excitement 

 for every Euff on the ground. 



I have noticed vicious conduct — if nature be vice — in a 

 certain Eeeve. This bird, after pairing with the blue Euff, 

 droops and quivers the wings, then, assuming the courting 

 actions of the male, makes overtures to certain Eeeves, which, 

 however, do not seem to be understood. She even courted a 

 Euff in the same manner, but all in very inferior style. Whilst 

 thus acting she had a very unpleasing appearance, but then she 

 is not at all a pretty Eeeve, and looks an old bird — some of the 

 Eeeves are pleasing and elegant in appearance. She has paired 

 twice with the blue bird, but with no other. The blue bird has 

 paired three or four times with this and one other Eeeve— no 

 other at all, as far as I have seen. The brown bird again has 

 paired with, at least, two Eeeves, but more I cannot be sure of. 



April 28th. — Down by 4 a.m. Some birds fly off as I arrive, 

 but are back almost directly. 



4.20.— Fighting caused by bird coming in. Pitching down, 

 not quite in his own place, he disturbs some bird or other, and, 

 each being jealous of its chosen place, fighting ensues. The 

 above, I think, may be considered one of the principal causes of 

 the Euffs fighting, especially when no Eeeve is on the ground. 

 When the Eeeves are there, too, it still has its place, for the very 

 movements of the birds, towards and about her, produce this 

 result. It is now apparent that each Euff has his special place 

 in the lists, and, as the birds are many in proportion to the size 

 of the assembly-ground, we can understand how an attachment 

 to it may have had its share— perhaps a powerful one — in the 

 development of the fighting instinct. This cause alone would 

 have made skirmishes frequent, and, the appetite growing with 



