The Descent of Man

CHAPTER XV.
Birds—continued.
Discussion as to why the males alone of some
species, and both sexes of others, are brightly
coloured—On sexually-limited inheritance, as
applied to various structures and to brightlycoloured
plumage—Nidification in relation to
colour—Loss of nuptial plumage during the
winter.
We have in this chapter to consider why the
females of many birds have not acquired the
same ornaments as the male; and why, on the
other hand, both sexes of many other birds are
equally, or almost equally, ornamented? In the
following chapter we shall consider the few
cases in which the female is more conspicuously
coloured than the male.
In my 'Origin of Species' (1. Fourth edition,
1866, p. 241.) I briefly suggested that the long
tail of the peacock would be inconvenient and