Atiro-me para o chão e submeto-me à supremacia do ilustre Vitoriano

Does the male parade his charms with so much pomp and rivalry for no purpose? Are we not justified in believing that the female exerts a choice, and that she receives the addresses of the male who pleases her most? It is not probable that she consciously deliberates; but she is most attracted by the most beautiful, or melodious, or gallant males. Nor need it be supposed that the female studies each stripe or spot of color; (...)- she is probably struck only by the general effect. Nevertheless, (...) we ought not to feel too sure that the female does not attend to each detail of beauty. We can judge, as already remarked, of choice being exerted, only from analogy, and the mental powers of birds do not differ fundamentally from ours.

[Charles Darwin, The Descent of Man 1874 rev. edition; quoted Kaye, pp. 104-5]