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The Descent of Man

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Powys found in Corfu and Epirus the sexes <strong>of</strong><br />

the chaffinch keeping apart, and "the females<br />

by far the most numerous"; whilst in Palestine<br />

Mr. Tristram found "the male flocks appearing<br />

greatly to exceed the female in number." (67.<br />

'Ibis,' 1860, p. 137; and 1867, p. 369.) So again<br />

with the Quiscalus major, Mr. G. Taylor says,<br />

that in Florida there were "very few females in<br />

proportion to the males," (68. 'Ibis,' 1862, p.<br />

187.) whilst in Honduras the proportion was<br />

the other way, the species there having the character<br />

<strong>of</strong> a polygamist.<br />

FISH.<br />

With fish the proportional numbers <strong>of</strong> the sexes<br />

can be ascertained only by catching them in the<br />

adult or nearly adult state; and there are many<br />

difficulties in arriving at any just conclusion.<br />

(69. Leuckart quotes Bloch (Wagner, 'Handworterbuch<br />

der Phys.' B. iv. 1853, s. 775), that with<br />

fish there are twice as many males as females.)

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