DISPLAY BY THE MALE. 
93 
-«4t. 
Sill. 
Umes3 aQ d on the elaboration of the most elegant 
t] lat (;1 ' ns ' Many will declare that it is utterly incredible 
s] 1;u |. u finale bird should be able to appreciate fine 
Hj a| , U p a,1( l exquisite patterns. It is undoubtedly a 
f'Uin.' 0118 that she should possess this almost 
tli e 111 ^ e S ree of taste, though perhaps she admires 
}[,. ^ <nei 'al effect rather than each separate detail, 
^tir 10 that lie can safely gauge the discrimi- 
tl l6 ail( f taste of the lower animals, may deny that 
ma ^ e Argus pheasant can appreciate such refined 
tip ’ but he will then be compelled to admit that 
efc xtraor- 
of 
tlie ! :;, laoi ‘dinary attitudes assumed by the male during 
l(i s ^ of courtship, by which the wonderful beauty of 
thi s •. ma ge is fully displayed, are purposeless; and 
a conclusion which I for one will never admit. 
b 
i^sj' so many pheasants and allied gallinaceous 
tb e ,. Cai ' e Mlly display their beautiful plumage before 
r aleS) ^ ’ s reinav ^ ft ^^ e » as Mr. Bartlett informs 
tl u j (4 ^' at this is not the case with the dull-coloured 
P] hl .. ail( f Cheer pheasants ( Crossoptilon auritum and 
«ci 0 . <a>lUs Walliohii ) ; so that these birds seem con- 
IWi 5 ,^' at they have little beauty to display. Mr. 
'^rtW i - »...*» 
s p6ci es • Jlas llever 8een the males of either of these 
gCKjfi 68 ^'Sbting together, though ho has not had such 
V U °P P 0 r tu ni t i es for observing the Cheer as the 
nil ^ Pheasant, Mr. Jenner Weir, also, finds that 
P1 U * 6 turds with rich or strongly-characterised 
s Peci e g are more quarrelsome than the dull-coloured 
bn e )|’ s belonging to the same groups. The gold- 
’■ n tor ' 
li: 
>et 
instance, is far more pugnacious than the 
' v bi c i 1 ’ Ulu ^ the black-bird than the thrush. Those birds 
''iso 1 , llU| Mrgo a seasonal change of plumage like- 
they , GC(,me much more pugnacious at the period when 
5,0 most gaily ornamented. No doubt the males 
of 
lU ° obscurely-coloured birds fight desperately 
