The Descent of Man

coloured than the male. As with the artificial
ornaments used by savage and civilised men,
so with the natural ornaments of birds, the
head is the chief seat of decoration. (61. See
remarks to this effect, on the 'Feeling of Beauty
among Animals,' by Mr. J. Shaw, in the 'Athenaeum,'
Nov. 24th, 1866, p. 681.) The ornaments,
as mentioned at the commencement of
this chapter, are wonderfully diversified. The
plumes on the front or back of the head consist
of variously-shaped feathers, sometimes capable
of erection or expansion, by which their
beautiful colours are fully displayed. Elegant
ear-tufts (Fig. 39) are occasionally present. The
head is sometimes covered with velvety down,
as with the pheasant; or is naked and vividly
coloured. The throat, also, is sometimes ornamented
with a beard, wattles, or caruncles.
Such appendages are generally brightly- coloured,
and no doubt serve as ornaments, though
not always ornamental in our eyes; for whilst
the male is in the act of courting the female,