98 
SEXUAL SELECTION: BTEDS. 
Part II. 
It is a more curious fact that the males of some birds 
which are provided with special weapons for battle, and 
wdiich in a state of nature are so pugnacious that they 
often kill each other, suffer from possessing certain 
ornaments. Cock-fighters trim the hackles and cut off 
the comb and gills of their cocks ; and the birds are 
then said to be dubbed. An undubbed, bird, as Mr. 
Tegetmeier insists, is at a fearful disadvantage : the 
comb and gills offer an easy hold to his adversary’s 
‘^beak, and as a cock always strikes where he holds, 
when once he has seized his foe, he has him entirely 
in his power. Even supposing that the bird is not 
killed, the loss of blood suffered by an undubbed cock 
is much greater than that sustained by one that has 
been trimmed.” Young turkey-cocks in fighting 
always seize hold of each other’s wattles ; and I pre- 
sume that the old birds fight in the same manner. It 
may perhaps be objected that the comb and wattles are 
not ornamental, and cannot be of service to the birds 
in this way ; but even to our eyes, the beauty of 
the glossy black Spanish cock is much enhanced by his 
white face and crimson comb ; and no one who has ever 
seen the splendid blue wattles of the male Tragopan 
pheasant, when distended during the act of courtship, 
can for a moment doubt that beauty is the object gained. 
From the foregoing facts we clearly see that the plumes 
and other ornaments of the male must be of the highest 
importance to him ; and we further see that beauty in 
some cases is even more important than success in battle. 
Birds,’ vol. xiv. p. 167. On Birds of Paradise, Lesson, quoted by Brehm, 
^ Tliierleben,’ B. iii. s. 325. On tire widow-bird, Barrow’s ‘ Travels in 
Africa,’ vol. i. p. 243, and ‘ Ibis,’ vol. iii. 1861, p. 133. Mr. Gould, on 
the shyness of male birds, ‘Hahdbook to Birds of Australia,’ vol. i. 
1865, p. 210, 457. 
Tegetmeier, ‘ The Poultry Book,’ 1866, p. 139. 
