Chapter 54, Problem 3A

Refer to figure 54.27. Peahens prefer to mate with peacocks that have more eyespots in their tail feathers (that is. longer tail feathers). It has also been suggested that the longer the tail feathers, the more unpaired the flight of the males. One possible hypothesis to explain such a preference by females is that the males with the longest tail feathers experience the most severe handicap, and if they can nevertheless survive, it reflects their “vigor” Suggest some studies that would allow you to test this idea. Your description should include the kinds of traits that you would measure and why.