SEXUAL SELECTION IN BIRDS. 177 



it was at all necessary to do so — which was not often the case — 

 not, however, to win them — that, it was evident, had been done 

 — but to induce them to pair. The ones I speak of, however, 

 seem to have no harems, but to " shoot folly as it flies," so to 

 speak, whilst passing by their part of the assembly-ground. For 

 they, too, have had to stay in their own places, which happen to 

 be all at one end — I do not mean in an absolutely hard and fast 

 manner, but at that end they habitually were, and it was when 

 the Eeeves were there, too, that the wooing, fighting, and occa- 

 sional pairing took place. Naturally, under these circumstances, 

 the birds encroached upon each other's places, and this may have 

 had as much or more to do with the fighting as anything else. 

 Except that the Eeeves were there, it did not appear to me to be 

 specially marked in relation to the pairing, nor did any success 

 of the male, in this respect, that I witnessed, seem due to his 

 martial powers, but directly to his courting actions, or if not 

 that, then to himself, his presence — to separate which from his 

 appearance appears to me to be a piece of prejudiced absurdity. 

 Yet this idea of mine does not appear very probable. Why should 

 just two birds and no more be mature, and established in life ? 

 The greatest part of the flock, surely, should be in that con- 

 dition, and most of my supposed young wooers look as old as 

 any. Nothing like a provisional hypothesis, however, with 

 further observation to check it. 



Some birds, at any rate, whether younger or older, have not 

 yet acquired their nuptial plumage, and these neither woo nor 

 are regarded by the females. Of course, however, there are 

 degrees in such acquirement. I have spoken of one bird which 

 seemed, both on the first day I noticed anything of this sort, and 

 also afterwards, to be favoured by a Eeeve. This one's plumage 

 was not fully developed, but very nearly, and quite sufficiently so 

 for it to have— with its coloration — a very striking appearance. 

 Latterly, however, I think I may have mistaken the Eeeve's 

 motive, which on one occasion, at any rate, was to get the bird 

 in question out of the way. This Euff, indeed, which I think 

 must be a tenderfoot,* does not seem to have a place of its own 

 like the others, and is consequently always in somebody's way. 

 I have mentioned the brown Euff's expelling him, in order to 



* In regard to the true relations of this bird see continuation. 

 Zool. 4th ser. vol. XI., Mat/, 1907. p 



