RECORD: Darwin, C. R. n.d. Abstract of Schomburgk, Journey from Fort San Joachuim, on the Rio Branco, etc.; Barrow, An account of travels in the interior of Southern Africa, etc. CUL-DAR84.2.120. (Cite as: John van Wyhe ed., 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 2.2022. RN2
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volumes CUL-DAR80-86 contain material for Darwin's book Descent of man (1871). (Q) = Quoted.
(Q) Geograph. Journ. vol 10 p. 236 Schomburgk describes little areas in which the cocks of rock manikin (Rupicola) dance & caper before the hens 10 cocks & 2 hens - most funny - Does Austral. bird which builds passages according to Gould play for this sexual object.
[Darwin cited this in Descent 2: 87.]
Barrows Travels in Africa v. 1. p. 243
The Emboriza Longicorda barely 5 inches long has tail 15 inches placed vertically like that of cock which impedes instead of assisting its flight. This tail endures only during season of love, afterwards has tail & can fly like female.
Apparently likewise called Loxia Caffra
(Q)
[Darwin cited this in Descent 2: 97-98, n88: "On the widow-bird, Barrow's 'Travels in Africa,' vol. i. p. 243".]
Schomburgk, Robert Hermann. 1840. Journey from Fort San Joachuim, on the Rio Branco, to Roraima, and thence by the Rivers Parima and Merewari to Esmeralda, on the Orinoco, in 1838-9. Journal of the Royal Geographical Society 10: 191-247. [CUL-DAR.LIB.PER-U982] PDF
Barrow, John. 1801. An account of travels in the interior of Southern Africa, in the years 1797 and 1798. London.
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 11 January, 2026