WCP1603

[1]

S. Anselm's,

Bakewell.

21 Jan[uary]. [18]99

Dear Sir

I hope that you will pardon the liberty which I take in writing to you. I should not have the audacity to do so, if I knew of any other means of obtaining the information of which I am in need. On p. 285 of "Darwinism" you state that it is proved that a female bird in a state of nature sometimes [2] exercises a certain amount of choice with regard to her mate. And again on the following page you say that "female birds have unaccountable likes and dislikes in the matter of their partners." I shall be greatly obliged if you can refer me to any book, or mention any single case, where a female bird or other animal^{, under natural conditions,} has had it in her power to choose between two mates. [3]

You quote Darwin's mention of the Widow-bird and Silver Pheasant (in the Descent of Man). With regard to the former Darwin writes, "I presume that this observation must have been made on birds under confinement." As for the Euplocamus¹ his words are — "He was then superseded by a rival." I have kept Pheasants (Golden, Amherst, Reeves', Silver, Versicolor) in my aviary, & have more than once pulled out the tail of a bully, because I felt [4]² conf convinced that the loss of his tail would reduce his pride. And my conjectures proved true.

But I have never come across any evidence in favor of choice exercised by females. Poulton (Colors of Animals) tries to prove that it is true with spiders, but the evidence is not enough for an unbiased mind. And all my own observations of birds in nature go to show that the choice of mates rests wholly with the cock-bird.

Yours truly, & respectfully | W. Storrs Fox [signature]