96 
SEXUAL SELECTION: BIKES. 
Part IL. 
differently, exhibiting before the female his brilliantly- 
spotted breast and scarlet rump and scarlet upper tail- 
coverts. I may here add from Dr. Jerdon, that the In- 
dian Bulbul [Pycnonotus hwmorrJious) has crimson under 
tail-coverts, and the beauty of these feathers, it might 
be thought, could never be well exhibited ; but the 
bird when excited often spreads them out laterally^ 
“ so that they can be seen even from above.” The 
common pigeon lias iridescent feathers on the breast, 
and every one must have seen how the male inflates his 
breast whilst courting the female, thus showing off these 
feathers to the best advantage. One of the beautiful 
bronze-winged pigeons of Australia (Oeyphaps lophotes) 
behaves, as described to me by Mr. Weir, very differ- 
ently : the male, whilst standing before the female, 
lowers his head almost to the ground, spreads out and 
raises perpendicularly his tail, and half expands his 
wings. He then alternately and slowly raises and de- 
presses his body, so that the iridescent metallic feathers 
are all seen at once, and glitter in the sun. 
Sufficient facts have now been given to shew with 
what care male birds display their various charms, and 
this they do with the utmost skill. Whilst preening 
their feathers, they have frequent opportunities for ad- 
miring themselves and of studying how best to exhibit 
their beauty. But as all the males of the same species 
display themselves in exactly the same manner, it 
appears that actions, at first perhaps intentional, have 
become instinctive. If so, we ought not to accuse birds 
of conscious vanity ; yet when we see a peacock strutting 
about, Avith expanded and quivering tail-feathers, he 
seems the very emblem of pride and vanity. 
The various ornaments possessed by the males are 
' Bii ds of India,’ vol. ii. p. 9G. 
