A
hornless stag or spurless cock would have a poor chance of leaving numerous
offspring. Sexual selection, by always allowing the victor to breed, might
surely give indomitable courage, length of spur, and strength to the wing
to strike in the spurred leg, in nearly the same manner as does the brutal
cockfighter by the careful selection of his best cocks. How low in the
scale of nature the law of battle descends I know not; male alligators have
been described as fighting, bellowing, and whirling round, like Indians in
a war-dance, for the possession of the females; male salmons have been
observed fighting all day long; male stag-beetles sometimes bear wounds
from the huge mandibles of other males; the males of certain hymenopterous
insects have been frequently seen by that inimitable observer M. Fabre,
fighting for a particular female who sits by, an apparently unconcerned
beholder of the struggle, and then retires with the conqueror. The war is,
perhaps, severest between the males of polygamous animals, and these seem
oftenest provided with special weapons. The males of carnivorous animals
are already well armed; though to them and to others, special means of
defence may be given through means of sexual selection, as the mane of the
lion, and the hooked jaw to the male salmon; for the shield may be as
important for victory as the sword or spear.
Among birds, the contest is often of a more peaceful character.
Pages:
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159