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The Descent of Man

The Descent of Man

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for the possession <strong>of</strong> the females; and he accounts<br />

through such contests for the mandibles<br />

<strong>of</strong> the males being in certain species larger than<br />

those <strong>of</strong> the females. In some cases the males<br />

are far more numerous than the females, either<br />

early in the season, or at all times and places, or<br />

locally; whereas the females in other cases are<br />

apparently in excess. In some species the more<br />

beautiful males appear to have been selected by<br />

the females; and in others the more beautiful<br />

females by the males. Consequently in certain<br />

genera (Muller, p. 42), the males <strong>of</strong> the several<br />

species differ much in appearance, whilst the<br />

females are almost indistinguishable; in other<br />

genera the reverse occurs. H. Muller believes<br />

(p. 82) that the colours gained by one sex<br />

through sexual selection have <strong>of</strong>ten been transferred<br />

in a variable degree to the other sex, just<br />

as the pollen-collecting apparatus <strong>of</strong> the female<br />

has <strong>of</strong>ten been transferred to the male, to whom<br />

it is absolutely useless. (61. M. Perrier in his<br />

article 'la Selection sexuelle d'apres Darwin'

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