In your
penultimate note you say: "In the great mass of cases in which there is
_great_ differentiation of colour between the sexes, I believe it is due
_almost wholly_ to the need of protection to the female." Now, looking
to the whole animal kingdom I can at present by no means admit this
view; but pray do not suppose that because I differ to a certain extent,
I do not thoroughly admire your several papers and your admirable
generalisation on birds' nests. With respect to this latter point,
however, although following you, I suspect that I shall ultimately look
at the whole case from a rather different point of view.
You ask what I think about the gay-coloured females of Pieris:[70] I
believe I quite follow you in believing that the colours are wholly due
to mimicry; and I further believe that the male is not brilliant from
not having received through inheritance colour from the female, and from
not himself having varied; in short, that he has not been influenced by
Selection.
I can make no answer with respect to the elephants. With respect to the
female reindeer, I have hitherto looked at the horns simply as the
consequence of inheritance _not_ having been limited by sex.
Pages:
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341