| Show colors of male birds and lizards serve to frighten off of their rivals its long been a popular idea that in the animal world tile the gay coloring of 0 the male Is bestowed upon him bim to attract a mate this really so says dr G kingsley nobel curator of experimental peri mental biology at the american museum of natural history for the brilliance of ills his dress serves rather to frighten away rivals than to attract the lady ot of his choice these conclusions reached through laboratory research differed so widely from the views of darwin and the majority of scientists that doctor noble deemed it desirable to restudy re study the problem under natural conditions the united clay mines corporation through its vice president C W tall nail generously offered to help his bis field studies by placing at doctor nobles disposal a house in the alie new jersey pine barrens where the fence lizard undulates was abundant the male of this species bears on either side of his body a handsome stripe of blue which Is nearly continuous with a spot of the same color on the throat as distinguished from the female which has little coloration the males as 09 the season pro gr grosses esses writes doctor noble in natural history magazine of the american museum of natural history ba be comes extremely pugnacious and establishes tab lishes himself in a definite territory if another mate male Is dropped into that territory the first tenant either goes into a full display compressing compres sim his bis sides until his gorgeous blue stripe stands out in shimmering brilliancy or else he dashes forward in most violent attack if the trespasser Is a female the mule male never displays this difference in behavior observed at frequent intervals shows that the bright colors of the male fence lizard are employed to blurt bluff possible rivals into withdrawing from a light fight the adornment of the male Is not wedding finery but a gladiators vestment |
