18.01.2013 Views

The Descent of Man

The Descent of Man

The Descent of Man

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

tion and taste <strong>of</strong> the lower animals may deny<br />

that the female Argus pheasant can appreciate<br />

such refined beauty; but he will then be compelled<br />

to admit that the extraordinary attitudes<br />

assumed by the male during the act <strong>of</strong> courtship,<br />

by which the wonderful beauty <strong>of</strong> his<br />

plumage is fully displayed, are purposeless;<br />

and this is a conclusion which I for one will<br />

never admit.<br />

Although so many pheasants and allied gallinaceous<br />

birds carefully display their plumage<br />

before the females, it is remarkable, as Mr. Bartlett<br />

informs me, that this is not the case with<br />

the dull-coloured Eared and Cheer pheasants<br />

(Crossoptilon auritum and Phasianus wallichii);<br />

so that these birds seem conscious that<br />

they have little beauty to display. Mr. Bartlett<br />

has never seen the males <strong>of</strong> either <strong>of</strong> these species<br />

fighting together, though he has not had<br />

such good opportunities for observing the<br />

Cheer as the Eared pheasant. Mr. Jenner Weir,

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!