Origin of Species Variorum

→ peculiarities 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869

in our domestic animals peculiarities 1872

→ in our domestic animals (as the wattle in male carriers, horn-like protuberances in the cocks of certain fowls, &c.), which we cannot believe to be either useful to the males in battle, or attractive to the females. 1859 1860 1861 1866

in our domestic animals (as the greater development of the wattle in male carrier-pigeons, horn-like protuberances in certain fowls, &c.), which are in no way useful. 1869

which apparently have not been augmented through selection by man. 1872

→ can 1859 1860 1861 1866

cannot be useful and can 1869

→ either useful or ornamental to this bird;— 1859 1860 1861 1866

orna- mental;— 1869

↑ 1 blocks not present in 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 1872; present in

→ Selection. — 1860 1861

Selection .— 1859

Selection. 1866

Selection, or the Survival of the Fittest. 1869

Selection , or the Survival of the Fittest. 1872

→ OMIT 1861 1866 1869 1872

see no reason to doubt that 1859 1860

→ this, than 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869

that this would be the result, than 1872

→ can 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869

should be able to 1872

→ unconscious 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869

kind of unconscious 1872

sexual differences to this agency: for we see →peculiarities arising and becoming attached to the male

sex,

sex

→in our domestic animals (as the wattle in male carriers, horn-like protuberances in the cocks of certain fowls, &c.), which we cannot believe to be either useful to the males in battle, or attractive to the females. We see analogous cases under

nature,—

nature,

for instance, the tuft of hair on the breast of the turkey-cock, which →can hardly be →either useful or ornamental to this bird;— indeed, had the tuft appeared under domestication, it would have been called a monstrosity. ↑

Illustrations

the

Action

action

Natural

→ Selection. —

In order to make it clear how, as I believe, natural selection acts, I must beg permission to give one or two imaginary illustrations. Let us take the case of a wolf, which preys on various animals, securing some by

cralt,

craft,

some by strength, and some by fleetness; and let us suppose that the fleetest prey, a deer for instance, had from any change in the country increased in numbers, or that other prey had decreased in numbers, during that season of the year when the wolf

was

hardest pressed for food.

I can

....

under

Under

such circumstances →OMIT the swiftest and slimmest wolves would have the best chance of surviving, and so be preserved or selected,— provided always that they retained strength to master their prey at this or

some other period of the year, when they

were

might be

compelled to prey on other animals. I can see no more reason to doubt →this, than that man →can improve the fleetness of his

grey-hounds

greyhounds

by careful and methodical selection, or by

~~that~~

that

→unconscious selection which

follows

results

from each man trying to keep the best dogs without any thought of modifying the breed.

Even without any change in the proportional numbers of the animals on which our wolf preyed, a cub might