144 
SEXUAL SELECTION : BIEDS. 
Part IL 
served that each ocellus stands in obvious connection 
with a dark stripe, or row of dark spots, for both occur 
indifferently on the same feather. Thus in fig. 56 stripe 
A runs to ocellus a; B runs to ocellus h ; stripe C is 
broken in the upper part, and runs down to the next 
succeeding ocellus, not represented in the woodcut ; I) 
to the next lower one, and so with the stripes E and F. 
Lastly, the several ocelli 
are separated from each 
other by a pale surface 
bearing irregular black 
marks. 
I will next describe 
the other extreme of the 
series, namely the first 
trace of an ocellus. The 
short secondary wing- 
feather (fig. 57), nearest 
to the body, is marked 
like the other feathers, 
with oblique, longitudi- 
nal, rather irregular, rows 
of spots. The lowest spot, 
or that nearest the shaft, 
in the five lower rows (ex- 
doling tbe basal row) is 
a little larger than the 
other spots in the same row, and a little more elon- 
so that the shading cf the ball-and-socket ocelli ought to be slightly 
different on the different feathers, in order to bring out their full effect, 
relatively to the incidence of the light. Mr. T. W. Wood, who has the 
experienced eye of an artist, asserts (‘ Field,’ Newspaper, May 28, 1870, 
p. 457) that this is the case ; but after carefully examining two mounted 
specimens (the proper feathers from one having been given to me by 
Mr. Gould for more accurate comparison) I cannot perceive that this 
acme of perfection in the shading has been attained ; nor can others 
to whom I have shewn these featliers recognise the fact. 
