[23]

H. de Saussure Observ. sur les Moeurs de Divers Oiseaux Bib. Universell. de Genève archives 1858. Says the Trogon mexicanus builds different nest from all its congeners, which build in holes of trees on account of the long & beautiful tail of cock, which hangs out of nest.

In tomtit, there is hole on opposite side of nest. Here we see why sexual character often confined to male. How peacocks wd be discovered on her nest. (mem. instinct to leave no scent) so would it be with Black-cock.

G. R. Gray informs me that the Lyre bird builds nest like slipper [sketch] 1/2 domed & he cannot conceive how Hen, which has long tail, though not so long as cock, can sit on eggs - supposes bowed forward.

N.B. On creation view, I presume Peacock-tail

[23v]

& splendid feathers of Birds of Paradise must be viewed as specially adapted to please hen as much as stag's horns or cocks species from under to contend with other males for females =

Sir P. Egerton tells me that whilst two stags are fighting for [does], the other outlying feebler stags generally pair with the does.

[Descent 2: 253.]

Saussure, Henri Louis Frédéric de. 1858. Observations sur les moeurs de divers oiseaux du Mexique. Geneva: Ramboz & Schuchardt. (from: Bibliothèque Universelle et Revue Suisse. Archives des sciences physiques et naturelles 1: 331-338, pl. 4; 3: 14-25, 168-182, 4: 22-41.) [Darwin Pamphlet Collection 285] PDF