Re: 4/1999 Dicover Mag

[Philidor11@aol.com]

In a message dated 4/9/99 1:33:06 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
Edels@email.msn.com writes:

<<  Biologists at the University of California at Irvine glued
 white feathers to the head of male zebra finches, which the females seem to
 find irresitable.  This suggests that the prediliction for crests may be
 hardwired into the avian central nervous system. >>

The dedication of the true scientist, probably not matched by the dedication 
of the male zebra finches.
If the females indeed went wild over fake crests, this would imply that they 
do not think much of the males' actual accoutrements.  Another reason the 
males' day was ruined.  Perhaps the males persuaded themselves the glue was 
an inhalant, and if it were that might have been the only consolation from 
the males' point of view.
Worse yet, I assume that the feathers were later removed, leaving the females 
indifferent and the males with a legendary bad feather day.  Did the article 
say whether the males called for restoration of the feathers or whether they 
have decided to join a different group of finches, one with less unrealistic 
females?
The social aspects of this experiment are frightening in their implications.