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of the females; the result is not death to the unsuccessful competitor, but few or no offspring. Sexual selection is, therefore, less rigorous than natural selection. Generally, the most vigorous males, those which are best fitted for their places in nature, will leave most progeny. But in many cases, victory
not
→on
general vigour,
on having special weapons, confined to the male sex. A hornless stag or spurless cock would have a poor chance of leaving
Sexual
by always allowing the victor to breed might surely give indomitable courage, length to the spur, and strength to the wing to strike in the spurred leg,
→as well as
the brutal
→who knows well that he can improve his breed by
selection of
best cocks. How low in the scale of nature
law of battle descends, I know not; male alligators have been described as fighting, bellowing, and whirling round, like Indians in a
for the possession of the females; male salmons have been
fighting all day long; male stag-beetles
bear wounds from the huge mandibles of other
→males; the males of certain hymenopterous insects have been frequently seen by that inimitable observer M. Fabre, fighting for a particular female, who sits by an apparently unconcerned beholder of the struggle, and then retires with the conqueror. The war is, perhaps, severest between the males of polygamous animals, and these seem oftenest provided with special weapons. The males of carnivorous animals are already well armed; though to them and to others, special means of defence may be given through means of sexual selection, as the mane to the lion,
→the shoulder-pad to the boar,
and the hooked jaw to the male salmon; for the shield may be as important for victory, as the sword or spear. |
