Origin of Species Variorum

→ In our domestic animals, if any part, or the whole animal, be neglected and no selection be applied, that part (for instance, the comb in the Dorking fowl) or the whole breed will cease to have a nearly uniform character. 1859 1860 1861

In our domestic animals, if any part, or the whole animals, be neglected and no selection be applied, that part (for instance, the comb in the Dorking fowl) or the whole breed will cease to have a nearly uniform character. 1866

First let me remark that if any part in our domestic animals, or the whole animal, be neglected and no selection be applied, that part (for instance, the comb in the Dorking fowl) or the whole breed will cease to have a uniform character. 1869

First let me make some preliminary remarks. 1872

→ The 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869

If, in our domestic animals, any part or the whole animal be neglected, and no selection be applied, that part (for instance, the comb in the Dorking fowl) or the whole 1872

→ then be said 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869

cease 1872

→ degenerated. 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869

a uniform character: and the breed may be said to be degenerating. 1872

→ in our domestic animals those points, 1859 1860 1861 1866

those points in our domestic animals, 1869 1872

→ pigeon; 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869

same breed of the pigeon, and 1872

→ the 1859 1860 1861 1866

that of the 1869 1872

→ to perfection, and frequently individuals are born which depart 1859 1860 1861 1866

perfect birds, some frequently departing 1869

perfect birds, many departing 1872

→ further variability of all kinds, 1859 1860 1861 1866

further variability, 1869

new variations, 1872

→ there may always be expected to be 1859 1860 1861 1866

OMIT 1869 1872

are

have

descended from

some other

other

species, and have been modified through natural selection, I think we can obtain some light. →In our domestic animals, if any part, or the whole animal, be neglected and no selection be applied, that part (for instance, the comb in the Dorking fowl) or the whole breed will cease to have a nearly uniform character. →The breed will →then be said to have →degenerated. In rudimentary organs, and in those which have been but little specialised for any particular purpose, and perhaps in polymorphic groups, we see a nearly parallel

~~natural~~

natural

case; for in such cases natural selection either has not or cannot

have come

come

into full play, and thus the

organisation

organization

is left in a fluctuating condition. But what here

more particularly

~~more especially~~

more especially

concerns us is, that →in our domestic animals those points, which at the present time are undergoing rapid change by continued selection, are also eminently liable to variation. Look at the

individuals

breeds

of the →pigeon; see what a prodigious amount of difference there is in the

beaks

beak

~~the different~~

the different

tumblers, in the

beaks

beak

and wattle of

~~the different~~

the different

carriers, in the carriage and tail of

~~our~~

our

fantails, &c., these being the points now mainly attended to by English fanciers. Even in

~~the~~

the

same sub-breed,

sub-breeds,

as in →the short-faced

tumbler,

tumblers,

it is notoriously difficult to breed

~~them~~

them

nearly →to perfection, and frequently individuals are born which depart widely from the standard. There may

truly be

be truly

said to be a constant struggle going on between, on the one hand, the tendency to reversion to a less

perfect

modified

state, as well as an innate tendency to →further variability of all kinds, and, on the other hand, the power of steady selection to keep the breed true. In the long run selection gains the day, and we do not expect to fail so

completely

far

as to breed

bird as coarse as a common tumbler

pigeon from

from

a good short-faced strain. But as long as selection is rapidly going on, →there may always be expected to be