86 
SEXUAL SELECTION: B1KDS. 
Paet 1 
in habits, and our siskin, which represents it still m 0l ' e 
closely in structure, undergo no such annual chan? 6 ' 
But a difference of this kind in the plumage of alii'- 
species is not surprising, for with the common linin’ 1 ’ 
which belongs to the same family, the crimson forehe®® 
and breast are displayed only during the summer 1,1 
England, whilst in Madeira these colours are retain 66 
throughout the year . 73 
Display by Male Birds of their Plumage . — Ornament 
of all kinds, whether permanently or temporarily gained 
are sedulously displayed by the males, and apparently 
serve to excite, or attract, or charm the females. B ut 
the males will sometimes display their ornaments, wl ^ 11 
not in the presence of the females, as occasionally occur 3 
with grouse at their balz-places, and as may be noting 
with the peacock; this latter bird, however, evidently, 
wishes for a spectator of some kind, and will shew’ 
his finery, as I have often seen, before poultry or ev 6 ’ 1 
pigs . 80 All naturalists who have closely attended to tl |6 
habits of birds, whether in a state of nature or und er 
confinement, are unanimously of opinion that the rod 65 
delight to display their beauty. Audubon frequently 
speaks of the male as endeavouring in various ways to 
charm the female. Mr. Goidd, after describing son ) 6 
peculiarities in a male humming-bird, says he has 110 
doubt that it has the power of displaying them to th 6 
greatest advantage before the female, Ur. Jordon : 
79 On the pelican, see Selnter, in ‘Proc. Znol. Soo.’ 1868, p. ^ ' 
On the American (inches, see Audubon, ‘Ornith. Biography,’ vol. i-P - 
174. 221, and Jerdon, ‘Birds of India,’ vol. ii. p. 888. On the l' r ‘ r 
gilla cannabina of Madeira, Mr. E. Vernon Harcourt ‘Ibis’ vol- v '’ 
1863, p. 230. 
so See also ‘ Ornamental Poultry,’ by Eev. E. S. Dixon, 1S48, p. 8 -... 
81 ‘ Birds of India,’ introduct. vol. i. p. xxiv. ; on the peacock, vol- 1 "' 
p. 507. See Gould’s ‘Introduction to the Trochilidse,’ 1 861, p. la and l 1 *’ 
