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5 blocks not present in 1859 1860 1861; present in 1866 1869 1872
We can understand how it is that such harmonious beauty generally prevails throughout nature. That there are exceptions according to our ideas of beauty, no one will doubt who will look at some of the venomous snakes, at some fish, and at certain hideous bats with a distorted resemblance to the human face. Sexual selection has given, generally to the males alone but sometimes to both sexes, the most brilliant and beautiful colours, as well as other ornaments, to our birds, butterflies, and a few other animals. It has rendered the voices of many male birds musical to their females, as well as to our ears. Flowers and fruit have been rendered conspicuous by gaudy colours in contrast with the green foliage, in order that the flowers might be easily seen, visited, and fertilised by insects, and the fruit have their seeds disseminated by birds.

1 blocks not present in 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869; present in 1872
How it comes that certain colours, sounds, and forms should give pleasure to man and the lower animals,— that is, how the sense of beauty in its simplest form was first acquired,— we do not know any more than how certain odours and flavours were first rendered agreeable.

the 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869
and improves the 1872

the degree of perfection of their associates; 1859 1860 1861 1866
the other inhabitants; 1869
their co-inhabitants; 1872

specially created and 1859 1860 1861 1866
created and specially 1869 1872

and if some 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869
as in the case even 1872

be 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869
human eye; or if some of them be 1872

causing 1859 1860 1861 1866
when used against an enemy often causing 1869
when used against an enemy, causing 1872

and being then 1859 1869 1872
with the great majority 1860 1861 1866

variation 1859 1860 1861 1866
acknowledged variations 1869
the production of varieties 1872

so-called specific forms. 1859 1860 1861 1866
so-called specific differences. 1869
distinct species. 1872

but little direct effect; yet when varieties enter any zone, they occasionally assume some of the characters of the species proper to that zone. 1859 1860 1861 1866
some direct and definite effect, but how much we cannot say. 1869 1872

species constantly trying to increase in number, with natural selection always ready to adapt the slowly varying descendants of each to any unoccupied or
ill-occu- pied
ill-occupied
place in nature, these facts cease to be strange, or
perhaps
perhaps
might even have been anticipated.
As natural selection acts by competition, it
renders
adapts
the inhabitants of each country
perfect only
only
in relation to the degree of perfection of their associates; so that we need feel no surprise at the
species
inhabitants
of any one country, although on the ordinary view supposed to have been specially created and adapted for that country, being beaten and supplanted by the naturalised productions from another land.
or
Nor
ought we to marvel if all the contrivances in nature be not, as far as we can judge, absolutely
perfect,
perfect;
and if some of
the
them
be abhorrent to our ideas of fitness. We need not marvel at the sting of the
bee,
bee
causing the
bees
bee's
own death; at drones being produced in such
great
vast
numbers for one single act, and being then slaughtered by their sterile sisters; at the astonishing waste of pollen by our fir-trees; at the instinctive hatred of the
queen-bee
queen bee
for her own fertile daughters; at ichneumonidæ feeding within the
living
live
bodies of caterpillars;
or
and
at other such cases. The wonder indeed is, on the theory of natural selection, that more cases of the want of absolute perfection have not been
detected.
observed.
The complex and little known laws governing variation are the same, as far as we can
judge,
see,
with the laws which have governed the production of so-called specific forms. In both cases physical conditions seem to have produced but little direct effect; yet when varieties enter any zone, they occasionally assume some of the characters of the species proper to that zone.
With
In
both varieties and species, use and disuse seem to have produced
a considerable
some
effect; for it is
impossible
difficult
to resist this
con-
con-