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The Descent of Man

The Descent of Man

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To return to our more immediate subject. <strong>The</strong><br />

case stands thus: female fishes, as far as I can<br />

learn, never willingly spawn except in the presence<br />

<strong>of</strong> the males; and the males never fertilise<br />

the ova except in the presence <strong>of</strong> the females.<br />

<strong>The</strong> males fight for the possession <strong>of</strong> the females.<br />

In many species, the males whilst young<br />

resemble the females in colour; but when adult<br />

become much more brilliant, and retain their<br />

colours throughout life. In other species the<br />

males become brighter than the females and<br />

otherwise more highly ornamented, only during<br />

the season <strong>of</strong> love. <strong>The</strong> males sedulously<br />

court the females, and in one case, as we have<br />

seen, take pains in displaying their beauty before<br />

them. Can it be believed that they would<br />

thus act to no purpose during their courtship?<br />

And this would be the case, unless the females<br />

exert some choice and select those males which<br />

please or excite them most. If the female exerts<br />

such choice, all the above facts on the ornamen-

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