The Descent of Man

the more ornamented, and departs more from
the type to which the species belongs;—and as
it is the male which searches eagerly for the
female, we must suppose that the females habitually
or occasionally prefer the more beautiful
males, and that these have thus acquired their
beauty. That the females in most or all the Orders
would have the power of rejecting any
particular male, is probable from the many singular
contrivances possessed by the males,
such as great jaws, adhesive cushions, spines,
elongated legs, etc., for seizing the female; for
these contrivances show that there is some difficulty
in the act, so that her concurrence would
seem necessary. Judging from what we know
of the perceptive powers and affections of various
insects, there is no antecedent improbability
in sexual selection having come largely into
play; but we have as yet no direct evidence on
this head, and some facts are opposed to the
belief. Nevertheless, when we see many males
pursuing the same female, we can hardly belie-