adult male to that of a young lion, whilst in the young of both sexes
and in the female the mane is almost absent.
It appeared to me probable that the immense woolly mane of the male
American bison, which reaches almost to the ground, and is much more
developed in the males than in the females, served as a protection to
them in their terrible battles; but an experienced hunter told Judge
Caton that he had never observed anything which favoured this belief.
The stallion has a thicker and fuller mane than the mare; and I have
made particular inquiries of two great trainers and breeders, who have
had charge of many entire horses, and am assured that they invariably
endeavour to seize one another by the neck. It does not, however,
follow from the foregoing statements, that when the hair on the neck
serves as a defence, that it was originally developed for this purpose,
though this is probable in some cases, as in that of the lion. I am
informed by Mr. McNeill that the long hairs on the throat of the stag
(Cervus elaphus) serve as a great protection to him when hunted, for
the dogs generally endeavour to seize him by the throat; but it is not
probable that these hairs were specially developed for this purpose;
otherwise the young and the females would have been equally protected.
CHOICE IN PAIRING BY EITHER SEX OF QUADRUPEDS.
Before describing in the next chapter, the differences between the
sexes in voice, odours emitted, and ornaments, it will be convenient
here to consider whether the sexes exert any choice in their unions.
Does the female prefer any particular male, either before or after the
males may have fought together for supremacy; or does the male, when
not a polygamist, select any particular female? The general impression
amongst breeders seems to be that the male accepts any female; and this
owing to his eagerness, is, in most cases, probably the truth. Whether
the female as a general rule indifferently accepts any male is much
more doubtful. In the fourteenth chapter, on Birds, a considerable body
of direct and indirect evidence was advanced, shewing that the female
selects her partner; and it would be a strange anomaly if female
quadrupeds, which stand higher in the scale and have higher mental
powers, did not generally, or at least often, exert some choice. The
female could in most cases escape, if wooed by a male that did not
please or excite her; and when pursued by several males, as commonly
occurs, she would often have the opportunity, whilst they were fighting
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