The Descent of Man

Sweden,' 1867, pp. 12, 132.), that in Scandinavia
the broods of the capercailzie and black-cock
contain more males than females; and that with
the Dal-ripa (a kind of ptarmigan) more males
than females attend the leks or places of
courtship; but this latter circumstance is accounted
for by some observers by a greater
number of hen birds being killed by vermin.
From various facts given by White of Selborne
(64. 'Nat. Hist. of Selborne,' letter xxix. edit. of
1825, vol. i. p. 139.), it seems clear that the males
of the partridge must be in considerable
excess in the south of England; and I have been
assured that this is the case in Scotland. Mr.
Weir on enquiring from the dealers, who receive
at certain seasons large numbers of ruffs
(Machetes pugnax), was told that the males are
much the more numerous. This same naturalist
has also enquired for me from the birdcatchers,
who annually catch an astonishing number of
various small species alive for the London
market, and he was unhesitatingly answered