The Descent of Man

not endure for ever, as we may infer from the
differences in this respect between allied tribes
on the same continent. So again the raisers of
fancy animals certainly have admired for many
generations and still admire the same breeds;
they earnestly desire slight changes, which are
considered as improvements, but any great or
sudden change is looked at as the greatest blemish.
With birds in a state of nature we have no
reason to suppose that they would admire an
entirely new style of coloration, even if great
and sudden variations often occurred, which is
far from being the case. We know that dovecot
pigeons do not willingly associate with the variously
coloured fancy breeds; that albino birds
do not commonly get partners in marriage; and
that the black ravens of the Feroe Islands chase
away their piebald brethren. But this dislike of
a sudden change would not preclude their appreciating
slight changes, any more than it does
in the case of man. Hence with respect to taste,
which depends on many elements, but partly