PREFERENCE BY THE FEMALE. 
117 
Ca. 
4P. 
Xiv. 
Itlrr , 
“ 8 r ° r C0( l ue tting for hours every day, until all seemed 
! ? ls ® e d with the choice they had made, after which, 
! ou gh they remained together, any person could 
P erce ^ Te that they were careful to keep in pairs. 
***** observed also that the older the birds, the 
<1 'l’l° lter Were tbe preliminaries of their courtship. 
« 9 bachelors and old maids, whether in regret, or 
■< m 0t cai ’hig to be disturbed by the bustle, quietly 
“ t aside and lay down at some distance from the 
Wh U Man y similar statements with respect to other 
Coi dd be cited from this same observer. 
\ V iu" luin g now to domesticated and confined birds, I 
spe c )- )rnrileilce by giving what little I have learnt re- 
Wt o mg the courtship of fowls. I have received long 
tn e j 011 this subject from Messrs. Hewitt and Teget- 
j! 1 ’ ai 'd almost an essay from the late Mr. Brent. 
&o 1 : be admitted by every one that these gentlemen, 
a ta] * known from their published works, are careful 
fenced observers. They do not believe that the 
tli^, CS P l ' e fer certain males on account of the beauty of 
tJifi Pjuniage; but some allowance must be made for 
k 6 pt aitl ficial state under which they have' long been 
tl 10)l ' kb'. Tegetmeier is convinced that a game-cock, 
bin & * 'b'^figured by being dubbed with his hackles 
inj> r ’ Would be accepted as readily as a male retain- 
bis natural ornaments. Mr. Brent, however, 
e^if 8 t] mt the beauty of the male probably aids in 
Jl v> ^ S bie female ; and her acquiescence is necessary, 
left b convinced that the union is by no means 
mere chance, for the female almost invariably 
hei 1C g S .*'b e most vigorous, defiant, and mettlesome male ; 
b is almost useless, as he remarks, “ to attempt 
"k® ; vol 'b. lin> * Ornitliolog. Biography,’ vol. i. p. 191 , 319 ; vol. ii. P- 12, 
