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The Descent of Man

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tected species inhabiting the same district.<br />

When the sexes resemble each other and both<br />

are obscurely coloured, there is no doubt that<br />

they have been in a multitude <strong>of</strong> cases so coloured<br />

for the sake <strong>of</strong> protection. So it is in some<br />

instances when both are brightly-coloured, for<br />

they thus imitate protected species, or resemble<br />

surrounding objects such as flowers; or they<br />

give notice to their enemies that they are unpalatable.<br />

In other cases in which the sexes resemble<br />

each other and are both brilliant, especially<br />

when the colours are arranged for display,<br />

we may conclude that they have been<br />

gained by the male sex as an attraction, and<br />

have been transferred to the female. We are<br />

more especially led to this conclusion whenever<br />

the same type <strong>of</strong> coloration prevails throughout<br />

a whole group, and we find that the males <strong>of</strong><br />

some species differ widely in colour from the<br />

females, whilst others differ slightly or not at<br />

all with intermediate gradations connecting<br />

these extreme states.

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