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The Descent of Man

The Descent of Man

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ped. Rules <strong>of</strong> this kind were first enounced by<br />

Cuvier; but with the progress <strong>of</strong> knowledge<br />

they require some modification and amplification.<br />

This I have attempted to do, as far as the<br />

extreme complexity <strong>of</strong> the subject permits, from<br />

information derived from various sources; but<br />

a full essay on this subject by some competent<br />

ornithologist is much needed. In order to ascertain<br />

to what extent each rule prevails, I have<br />

tabulated the facts given in four great works,<br />

namely, by Macgillivray on the birds <strong>of</strong> Britain,<br />

Audubon on those <strong>of</strong> North America, Jerdon on<br />

those <strong>of</strong> India, and Gould on those <strong>of</strong> Australia.<br />

I may here premise, first, that the several cases<br />

or rules graduate into each other; and secondly,<br />

that when the young are said to resemble their<br />

parents, it is not meant that they are identically<br />

alike, for their colours are almost always less<br />

vivid, and the feathers are s<strong>of</strong>ter and <strong>of</strong>ten <strong>of</strong> a<br />

different shape.<br />

RULES OR CLASSES OF CASES.

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