The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex, Vol. IDarwin, Charles
Science
The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex, Vol. I
Darwin, Charles
Evolution (Biology); Human beings -- Origin; Sex differences; Sexual dimorphism (Animals); Sexual selection in animals
in this breed a great bony protuberance and an immense crest
characterise the adults of both sexes.
Finally, from what we have now seen of the relation which exists in many
natural species and domesticated races, between the period of the
development of their characters and the manner of their
transmission—for example the striking fact of the early growth of the
horns in the reindeer, in which both sexes have horns, in comparison
with their much later growth in the other species in which the male
alone bears horns—we may conclude that one cause, though not the sole
cause, of characters being exclusively inherited by one sex, is their
development at a late age. And secondly, that one, though apparently a
less efficient, cause of characters being inherited by both sexes is
their development at an early age, whilst the sexes differ but little in
constitution. It appears, however, that some difference must exist
between the sexes even during an early embryonic period, for characters
developed at this age not rarely become attached to one sex.
_Summary and concluding remarks._—From the foregoing discussion on the
various laws of inheritance, we learn that characters often or even
generally tend to become developed in the same sex, at the same age, and
periodically at the same season of the year, in which they first
appeared in the parents. But these laws, from unknown causes, are very
liable to change. Hence the successive steps in the modification of a
species might readily be transmitted in different ways; some of the
steps being transmitted to one sex, and some to both; some to the
offspring at one age, and some at all ages. Not only are the laws of
inheritance extremely complex, but so are the causes which induce and
govern variability. The variations thus caused are preserved and
accumulated by sexual selection, which is in itself an extremely complex
affair, depending, as it does, on ardour in love, courage, and the
rivalry of the males, and on the powers of perception, taste, and will
of the female. Sexual selection will also be dominated by natural
selection for the general welfare of the species. Hence the manner in
which the individuals of either sex or of both sexes are affected
through sexual selection cannot fail to be complex in the highest
degree.
When variations occur late in life in one sex, and are transmitted to
the same sex at the same age, the other sex and the young are
necessarily left unmodified. When they occur late in life, but are
transmitted to both sexes at the same age, the young alone are left
unmodified. Variations, however, may occur at any period of life in one
sex or in both, and be transmitted to both sexes at all ages, and then
all the individuals of the species will be similarly modified. In the
following chapters it will be seen that all these cases frequently occur
under nature.
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