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OBSERVATIONS TENDING to THROW LIGHT on the 

 QUESTION of SEXUAL SELECTION in BIRDS, IN- 

 CLUDING a DAY-TO-DAY DIARY on the BREEDING 

 HABITS of the RUFF (MACHETES PUGNAX). 



By Edmund Selous. 



(Continued from p. 294.) 



April 18th. — Up at five, and at the place a little after six. 

 One bird only flies off as I come up. A little afterwards three or 

 four come down, but almost immediately fly off again. They 

 certainly could not have seen me, nor was there anything else, 

 as far as I know, to alarm them. About 6.30 a single one flies 

 in, but leaves very shortly. A little afterwards, on looking, I 

 see two. Then there are three, but two go off, leaving a single 

 one, who, after staying some time, follows them ; and, it being 

 now 8.30, I go back. No Reeve appeared all the time. 



This morning, therefore, was very different to yesterday. It 

 is a dull, cloudy, blustering day ; cold, too, though not so cold 

 to my sensations — and I should be a judge — as yesterday. Then, 

 however, it was fine and sunny, though the sun can never reach 

 me. It may mean, therefore, that the weather has thrown the 

 birds back, and this I hope, as I am, then, the likelier to see 

 things. Still, at one time, things had an interesting appearance. 

 The three birds, for instance, made longer and more business- 

 like runs about the place than did any yesterday. Of actual 

 fighting, however, there was nothing, and just as it seemed as 

 though something were on the point of happening, away they 

 flew. There were, too, some good examples of the deportment 

 of Ruffs on the assembly-ground, when others of them are about 

 to fly down upon it. They (these same three birds) strained up- 

 wards, flapped their wings, and would often run about, and 

 threaten at each other. I always knew, from this behaviour, 

 when a bird (or birds) had flown near, even though, from my 

 view being circumscribed, I could not see it, and it did not then 



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