Identifier: descentofmansele02darw (find matches)
Title: The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex
Year: 1871 (1870s)
Authors: Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882
Subjects: Evolution Natural selection Heredity Human beings -- Origin Evolution
Publisher: London, J. Murray
Contributing Library: MBLWHOI Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MBLWHOI Library

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nd strikingwith their wings. The great ruff of feathers round theneck is then erected, and according to Col. Montagu sweeps the ground as a shield to defend the more tender parts; and this is the only instance knownto me in the case of birds, of any structure serving as ashield. The ruff of feathers, however, from its variedand rich colours probably serves in chief part as anornament. Like most pugnacious birds, they seemalways ready to fight, and when closely confined oftenkiJl each other; but Montagu observed that theirpugnacity becomes greater during the spring, when thelong feathers on their necks are fully developed ; andat this period the least movement by any one bird ^ W. Thompson, Nat. Hist, of Ireland : Birds, vol. ii. 1850, p. 327^ Jerdon, Birds of India, 1803, vol. ii. p. 90. 42 SEXUAL SELECTION : BIEDS. PartIL provokes a general battle J Of the pugnacity of web-footed birds, two instances will suffice: in Guiana bloody fio-hts occur durins: the breeding-season between the
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7 Macgillivray, Hist. Brit. Birds, vol. iv. 1852, p. 177-18L Chap. XIll. LAW OF BATTLE. 43 males of the wild musk-duck (Cairina moscliata); and where these fiohts have occurred tlie river** is covered for some distance with feathers. ^ Birdswhich seem ill-adapted for fighting engage in fierceconflicts; thus with the pelican the stKonger malesdrive away the w^eaker ones, snapping with theirhusre beaks and s^ivino- heaw blows with their wino;s.Male snipes fight together, tugging and pushing each other with tlieir bills in the most curious manner imaginable. Some few species are believed never tofight; this is the case, according to Audubon, with oneof the woodpeckers of the United States (Ficiis aiiratus),althouo^h the hens are follow^ed bv even half a dozen of their gay suitors. ^ The males of many birds are larger than the females,and this no doubt is an advantage to them in theirbattles with their rivals, and has been gained throughsexual selection. The difference in size between the

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