The Descent of Man

Female birds not only exert a choice, but in some
few cases they court the male, or even fight
together for his possession. Sir R. Heron states
that with peafowl, the first advances are always
made by the female; something of the same
kind takes place, according to Audubon, with
the older females of the wild turkey. With the
capercailzie, the females flit round the male
whilst he is parading at one of the places of
assemblage, and solicit his attention. (30. In
regard to peafowl, see Sir R. Heron, 'Proc. Zoolog.
Soc.' 1835, p. 54, and the Rev. E.S. Dixon,
'Ornamental Poultry,' 1848, p. 8. For the turkey,
Audubon, ibid. p. 4. For the capercailzie, Lloyd,
'Game Birds of Sweden,' 1867, p. 23.) We have
seen that a tame wild-duck seduced an unwilling
pintail drake after a long courtship. Mr.
Bartlett believes that the Lophophorus, like
many other gallinaceous birds, is naturally polygamous,
but two females cannot be placed in
the same cage with a male, as they fight so
much together. The following instance of rival-