Volume 2

Sexual dimorphism in the animal kingdom : a theory of the evolution of secondary sexual characters / J.T. Cunningham.

  • Joseph Thomas Cunningham
Date:
1900
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sexual dimorphism in the animal kingdom : a theory of the evolution of secondary sexual characters / J.T. Cunningham. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    expedition, provided only with notebooks and drawing materials, and strictly forbidden to kill, preserve, or bring home a single specimen, might obtain results of the greatest value to science. It is surprising that our scientific menageries have not added more to our knowledge in the direction to which I refer. It is true that many interesting and valuable obser¬ vations have been made, but as the description of the behaviour of a living animal adds so much less to a man’s reputation than an anatomical or systematic research, the study of habits makes slow progress. If the incompleteness of my work in this sense should appear to be a reason for deferring its publication, I would plead a hope that in its present state it may stimulate and suggest investigations, which are not likely to be undertaken until the importance of their object is realised. But I cannot claim that my book contains all the informa¬ tion that has been recorded, or that I have fully considered that information. The reason of this is that, owing to the pressure of other duties, I was unable to devote more time to it. If I had not published it now as it is, it might never have been published at all—a contingency which, whatever my fellow-zoologists may think, I at least could not accept with equanimity. Incomplete as it is, the book would have been much more so but for the generous aid of many able friends. Mr. E. W. L. Holt supplied me with valuable material for the Chapter on Fishes, and also assisted by superintending the preparation of some of the illustrations. Mr. Rupert Yallentin allowed me to make use of the unique photographs from the living elephant seal which he took with his own camera in the Falkland Islands. To Dr. Hans Gadow I am deeply indebted
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