The Descent of Man

ked with oblique stripes and rows of spots of a
dark colour, like those on the skin of a tiger and
leopard combined. These beautiful ornaments
are hidden until the male shows himself off
before the female. He then erects his tail, and
expands his wing-feathers into a great, almost
upright, circular fan or shield, which is carried
in front of the body. The neck and head are
held on one side, so that they are concealed by
the fan; but the bird in order to see the female,
before whom he is displaying himself, sometimes
pushes his head between two of the long
wing-feathers (as Mr. Bartlett has seen), and
then presents a grotesque appearance. This
must be a frequent habit with the bird in a state
of nature, for Mr. Bartlett and his son on examining
some perfect skins sent from the East,
found a place between two of the feathers
which was much frayed, as if the head had here
frequently been pushed through. Mr. Wood
thinks that the male can also peep at the female
on one side, beyond the margin of the fan.