Animal coloration : an account of the principal facts and theories relating to the colours and markings of animals / by Frank E. Beddard.

  • Beddard Frank E. (Frank Evers), 1858-1925.
Date:
1892
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Animal coloration : an account of the principal facts and theories relating to the colours and markings of animals / by Frank E. Beddard. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    to figlits among themselves, frequently terminating in fatal consequences—particularly among such species as have spurs ; they also indulge in curious antics—the love dances, which have been so well described by Mr. W. 11. Hudson, of many South American species. Both the combats and the dances are set down, by those who support the theory of sexual selection, to the influence of the female. The favour of the female is, it is sup]^x)sed, gained by the victor in a combat, or by the more graceful dancer. M. Stolzmann, on the contrary, believes that the duels fimong the males have the primary result of reducing their numbers ; hence the pugnacious disposition, the spurs, and all the paraphernalia of warfare, have been cultivated by natural selection, just as in the days of cock-fighting the same attri- butes, mental and physical, were sedulously cultivated for a nearly identical end by artificial selection. As to the dances and the rival singing of male birds, this is not to be regarded as a peaceful strife to win the regard of the females, but merely a distraction to protect the females against the too constant attentions of the males. It cannot be doubted that this tlieory is among the most ingenious, and that an array of facts, of which the above is only a very small selection, snpisort it. Granting the principal fact upon which it rests is the great numerical superiority of the males over the females, it would be difficult to dispute, ■were it not almost impossible to believe in any theory which ignores the deep-seated differences between the two sexes. Mr. Wallace's Views. Mr. Wallace connects the greater brilliancy of such colora- tion, with the greater vigour and activity of that sex due to a surplus of vitality exhibited in the combats, and amorous
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