rising@utzoo.uucp (Jim Rising) (01/29/88)
-- Name: Jim Rising Mail: Dept. Zoology, Univ. Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A1 UUCP: {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!rising
rising@utzoo.uucp (Jim Rising) (01/29/88)
Interesting posting on parental behaviour of ducks and geese. I'm not certain how it relates to the forced copulation issue. F.c. occurs in geese as well as ducks. There was mention the other day about aggressive courtship behaviour in females. I think the tone was, "Why don't people ever study it...". In fact, they do. Characteristically, in birds where the male incubates the eggs and the female doesn't, and where the male alone takes care of the young, the females are aggressive in territorial defense and court- ship. Perhaps this is particularly true in species in which polyandry is common: phalaropes, jacanas, painted snipe, and probably others. I have watched phalarope courtship. Female appears to chase male, and "knock" him into the water prior to copulation. I'm not certain that this counts as "forced copulation." Indeed, without an intromittant organ "forcing" could only be by intimidation. Ducks and geese are among the few birds such organs. In any event, courting female phalaropes, jacanas, and painted snipe appear to be as aggressive as males are in birds in which females take primary responsibility for the incubation and feeding of young, and/or take little part in territorial defense. I guess from reading the "rape" postings that people who are posting in soc.men and soc.women are not reading notes that are posted only in sci.bio. Conversely, I would guess that much of what is cross posted to sci.bio from those other sources is of little interest to the readers of sci.bio, although that is obviously not for me to determine. Any comments from sci.bio readers on this? It seems to me that people keep raising issues that have been adequately discussed weeks ago. I shall attempt to cross post this to soc.men and soc.women. --Jim Rising -- Name: Jim Rising Mail: Dept. Zoology, Univ. Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A1 UUCP: {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!rising