The Descent of Man

with the peacock, pheasant, and fowl, whilst
with other species there has been a partial or
even complete transference of character from
the male to the female. The females of the several
species of Polyplectron exhibit in a dim
condition, and chiefly on the tail, the splendid
ocelli of their males. The female partridge differs
from the male only in the red mark on her
breast being smaller; and the female wild turkey
only in her colours being much duller. In
the guinea-fowl the two sexes are indistinguishable.
There is no improbability in the plain,
though peculiarly spotted plumage of this latter
bird having been acquired through sexual
selection by the males, and then transmitted to
both sexes; for it is not essentially different
from the much more beautifully spotted plumage,
characteristic of the males alone of the
Tragopan pheasants.
It should be observed that, in some instances,
the transference of characters from the male to