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The Descent of Man

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certain stags—has been carried to a wonderful<br />

extreme; and in some cases to an extreme<br />

which, as far as the general conditions <strong>of</strong> life<br />

are concerned, must be slightly injurious to the<br />

male. From this fact we learn that the advantages<br />

which favoured males derive from conquering<br />

other males in battle or courtship, and thus<br />

leaving a numerous progeny, are in the long<br />

run greater than those derived from rather more<br />

perfect adaptation to their conditions <strong>of</strong> life.<br />

We shall further see, and it could never have<br />

been anticipated, that the power to charm the<br />

female has sometimes been more important<br />

than the power to conquer other males in battle.<br />

LAWS OF INHERITANCE.<br />

In order to understand how sexual selection<br />

has acted on many animals <strong>of</strong> many classes,<br />

and in the course <strong>of</strong> ages has produced a conspicuous<br />

result, it is necessary to bear in mind

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