The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to SexDarwin, Charles
History
The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex
Darwin, Charles
Evolution (Biology); Human beings -- Origin; Sex differences; Sexual dimorphism (Animals); Sexual selection in animals
We can see why it is that aborigines, who have long inhabited islands,
and who must have been long exposed to nearly uniform conditions,
should be specially affected by any change in their habits, as seems to
be the case. Civilised races can certainly resist changes of all kinds
far better than savages; and in this respect they resemble domesticated
animals, for though the latter sometimes suffer in health (for instance
European dogs in India), yet they are rarely rendered sterile, though a
few such instances have been recorded. (47. ‘Variation of Animals,’
etc., vol. ii. p. 16.) The immunity of civilised races and domesticated
animals is probably due to their having been subjected to a greater
extent, and therefore having grown somewhat more accustomed, to
diversified or varying conditions, than the majority of wild animals;
and to their having formerly immigrated or been carried from country to
country, and to different families or sub-races having inter-crossed.
It appears that a cross with civilised races at once gives to an
aboriginal race an immunity from the evil consequences of changed
conditions. Thus the crossed offspring from the Tahitians and English,
when settled in Pitcairn Island, increased so rapidly that the island
was soon overstocked; and in June 1856 they were removed to Norfolk
Island. They then consisted of 60 married persons and 134 children,
making a total of 194. Here they likewise increased so rapidly, that
although sixteen of them returned to Pitcairn Island in 1859, they
numbered in January 1868, 300 souls; the males and females being in
exactly equal numbers. What a contrast does this case present with that
of the Tasmanians; the Norfolk Islanders INCREASED in only twelve and a
half years from 194 to 300; whereas the Tasmanians DECREASED during
fifteen years from 120 to 46, of which latter number only ten were
children. (48. These details are taken from ‘The Mutineers of the
“Bounty,”’ by Lady Belcher, 1870; and from ‘Pitcairn Island,’ ordered
to be printed by the House of Commons, May 29, 1863. The following
statements about the Sandwich Islanders are from the ‘Honolulu
Gazette,’ and from Mr. Coan.)
So again in the interval between the census of 1866 and 1872 the
natives of full blood in the Sandwich Islands decreased by 8081, whilst
the half-castes, who are believed to be healthier, increased by 847;
but I do not know whether the latter number includes the offspring from
the half-castes, or only the half-castes of the first generation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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