It strongly supported Darwin's theory of sexual selection, arguing that the obvious differences between male and female birds such as the Argus pheasant were selected by the females, pointing out that bright male plumage was found only in species "which court by day".
O libro apoiaba fortemente a teoría de Darwin da selección sexual, aducindo que as diferenzas obvias entre as aves macho e femia como o faisán Argus eran seleccionadas polas femias, sinalando que mchos con vistosa plumaxe se atopaban só en especies "que cortexan polo día".