SEXUAL SELECTION IN BIRDS. 375 



of the last-mentioned incident. The selection on the part of the 

 Beeves is most evident. They take the initiative throughout, 

 and are the true masters of the situation. Quiet and unobtrusive 

 as they are, compared to the Buffs, their whole manner betrays 

 conscious power. When several are crowded together the effect 

 of this is much lost, as is natural, but it is often very marked 

 with single birds. Though there are some dozen cases of coition, 

 there is not one of interference during the act itself, one only 

 immediately preceding it. Acquiescence in the Beeve's choice, 

 by every other bird on the ground, is the general and marked 

 feature.* My statement as to the three Buffs who, this morning, 

 so prominently exemplified this law, being all equal, as fighters, 

 to the favoured rival, was fully borne out by the fighting between 

 all four of them this afternoon. The brown-and-black Buff, too, 

 seemed inferior, if anything, to the black one whom he defeated 

 in the morning, though, to be sure, that was a small affair, and 

 so were these. Short tussles, in which one bird desists before 

 the other, rather than is defeated by him, are the common 

 feature. Prolonged, envenomed fights are rare. 



Later on, the second of two coitions was interfered with, 

 almost in the act, by a Buff that ran from the other end of the 

 ground. This was a bird who had received no notice, himself, 

 from any Beeve. Such cases are very rare. 



May 3rd. — On the spot about 5 a.m. It was raining and 

 blowing as I walked down, and soon came on to pour. This 

 weather seemed to affect the birds. They were more erratic, I 

 thought, ran about more widely, got more out of their places. 

 Pairing took place, but not frequently, whilst I was there. I 

 only saw it with two Buffs, the usual all-brown one, and another 

 of the brown-ruffed birds, with black or deep chocolate-coloured 

 head, who stands on the opposite side of the ground to where the 

 other one, who has paired before, does. This is a fine, well-made 

 bird, who has ruffled, and fought before any Beeve that came 

 near him, day after day, with the rest. But all this has been of 

 no avail, and until now, when a Beeve comes deliberately to him 

 and may be said to court him, he has never entered into nuptial 

 relations whilst under my observation, nor, as I feel sure, at all. 

 He can fight, too, as far as I can see, as well as another, but 



* Of. also cmte, pp. 293 and (1906) 424. 



