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F14
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1845. Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle round the world, under the Command of Capt. Fitz Roy, R.N. 2d ed. London: John Murray.
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The second species (or P. albicollis) is allied to the first in its general form. It is called Tapacolo, or cover your posterior; and well does the shameless little bird deserve its name; for it carries its tail more than erect, that is, inclined backwards towards its head. It is very common, and frequents the bottoms of hedge-rows, and the bushes scattered over the barren hills, where scarcely another bird can exist. In its general manner of feeding, of quickly hopping out of the thickets and
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F14
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1845. Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle round the world, under the Command of Capt. Fitz Roy, R.N. 2d ed. London: John Murray.
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general silence. The yelping of the guid-guid, and the sudden whew-whew of the cheucau, sometimes come from afar off, and sometimes from close at hand; the little black wren of Tierra del Fuego occasionally adds its cry; the creeper (Oxyurus) follows the intruder screaming and twittering; the humming-bird may be seen every now and then darting from side to side, and emitting, like an insect, its shrill chirp; lastly, from the top of some lofty tree the indistinct but plaintive note of the white
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F14
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1845. Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle round the world, under the Command of Capt. Fitz Roy, R.N. 2d ed. London: John Murray.
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the Gavia, or topsail mountain. The air was delightfully cool and fragrant; and the drops of dew still glittered on the leaves of the large liliaceous plants, which shaded the streamlets of clear water. Sitting down on a block of granite, it was delightful to watch the various insects and birds as they flew past. The humming-bird seems particularly fond of such shady retired spots. Whenever I saw these little creatures buzzing round a flower, with their wings vibrating so rapidly as to be
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F14
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1845. Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle round the world, under the Command of Capt. Fitz Roy, R.N. 2d ed. London: John Murray.
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Hall, Capt. Basil, on terraces of Coquimbo, 343 Hare, Varying, 45 Head, Capt., on thistle-beds, 119, 124 Height of snow-line on Cordillera, 244 Henslow, Prof., on potatoes, 285 , Prof., on plants of Keeling Island, 454 Hermit crabs, 457 Hill, emitting a noise, 361 Himantopus, 114 Hogoleu barrier-reef, 469 Holes made by a bird, 95 Holman on drifted seeds, 454 Holuthuri feeding on coral, 465 Hooker, Sir J., on the Cardoon, 119 , Dr. J. D., on the Kelp, 239 , on Galapageian plants, 392, 395 Horn
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F14
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1845. Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle round the world, under the Command of Capt. Fitz Roy, R.N. 2d ed. London: John Murray.
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CHAPTER XII. Valparaiso Excursion to the Foot of the Andes Structure of the Land Ascend the Bell of Quillota Shattered Masses of Greenstone Immense Valleys Mines State of Miners Santiago Hot-baths of Cauquenes Goldmines Grinding-mills Perforated Stones Habits of the Puma El Turco and Tapacolo Humming-birds .......... 252 CHAPTER XIII. Chiloe General Aspect Boat Excursion Native Indians Castro Tame Fox Ascend San Pedro Chonos Archipelago Peninsula of Tres Montes Granitic Range Boat-wrecked
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brest shows that we cannot call Carriers a monster C. cornata.— Lyn all stumped tail Scissor-tail breed of B…. Ag — Humming Bird with tufts of cotton on legs (
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F1583
Book:
Stauffer, R. C. ed. 1975. Charles Darwin's Natural Selection; being the second part of his big species book written from 1856 to 1858. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
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Intermediate forms unknown between humming-bird beaks, 345 Migration: Instinct variable, 491 n 1; Tasmanian bird with migratory and non-migratory varieties, 258 Nesting: Artamus -Different habits in Australia and New Zealand, 505; seizes other birds' nests, 507 n 4; Talegalla incubates eggs in fermenting debris, 500-1 Graba, Carl Julian Allied species: Common and Faroe pied raven, 121-2; Una troile (aalge) and O. lacrymans, 124 Migratory birds of Faroe, 495 Variation in sea-birds, 104-5, 111 Grafting
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F1583
Book:
Stauffer, R. C. ed. 1975. Charles Darwin's Natural Selection; being the second part of his big species book written from 1856 to 1858. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
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young show a great diversity of dispositions is the unanimous conviction of all who have attended to menageries. I could give numerous cases from the Elephant to the Humming Bird.1 That the same diversity is common to our domestic animals, even to those of the same litter is notorious; that these infinitely diversified dispositions strongly tend to be/31/inherited is the decided opinion of all those who have written on our domestic quadrupeds. Some veterinary authors maintain that disposition is
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F20
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1860. Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle round the world, under the command of Capt. Fitz Roy R.N. London: John Murray. Tenth thousand. Final text.
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may be compared to that of Syrphus amongst flies, and Sphinx among moths; but whilst hovering over a flower, it flaps its wings with a very slow and powerful movement, totally different from that vibratory one common to most of the species, which produces the humming noise. I never saw any other bird, where the force of its wings appeared (as in a butterfly) so powerful in proportion to the weight of its body. When hovering by a flower, its tail is constantly expanded and shut like a fan, the
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F20
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1860. Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle round the world, under the command of Capt. Fitz Roy R.N. London: John Murray. Tenth thousand. Final text.
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the Bell of Quillota Shattered Masses of Greenstone Immense Valleys Mines State of Miners Santiago Hot Baths of Cauquenes Gold-Mines Grinding-Mills Perforated Stones Habits of the Puma El Turco and Tapacolo Humming-birds .. .. .. .. .. .. 252 CHAPTER XIII. Chiloe General Aspect Boat Excursion Native Indians Castro Tame Fox Ascend San Pedro Chonos Archipelago Peninsula of Tres Montes Granitic Range Boat-wrecked Sailors Low's Harbour Wild Potato Formation of Peat Myopotamus, Otter and Mice Cheucau
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F20
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1860. Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle round the world, under the command of Capt. Fitz Roy R.N. London: John Murray. Tenth thousand. Final text.
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build its nest in a deep hole beneath the ground. I dissected several specimens: the gizzard, which was very muscular, contained beetles, vegetable fibres, and pebbles. From this character, from the length of its legs, scratching feet, membranous covering to the nostrils, short and arched wings, this bird seems in a certain degree to connect the thrushes with the gallinaceous order. [page] 271 HUMMING-BIRDS. 1834
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F20
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1860. Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle round the world, under the command of Capt. Fitz Roy R.N. London: John Murray. Tenth thousand. Final text.
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The second species (or P. albicollis) is allied to the first in its general form. It is called Tapacolo, or cover your posterior; and well does the shameless little bird deserve its name; for it carries its tail more than erect, that is, inclined backwards towards its head. It is very common, and frequents the bottoms of hedge-rows, and the bushes scattered over the barren hills, where scarcely another bird can exist. In its general manner of feeding, of quickly hopping out of the thickets and
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F20
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1860. Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle round the world, under the command of Capt. Fitz Roy R.N. London: John Murray. Tenth thousand. Final text.
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general silence. The yelping of the guid-guid, and the sudden whew-whew of the cheucau, sometimes come from afar off, and sometimes from close at hand; the little black wren of Tierra del Fuego occasionally adds its cry; the creeper (Oxyurus) follows the intruder screaming and twittering; the humming-bird may be seen every now and then darting from side to side, and emitting, like an insect, its shrill chirp; lastly, from the top of some lofty tree the indistinct but plaintive note of the white
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F20
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1860. Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle round the world, under the command of Capt. Fitz Roy R.N. London: John Murray. Tenth thousand. Final text.
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the Gavia, or topsail mountain. The air was delightfully cool and fragrant; and the drops of dew still glittered on the leaves of the large liliaceous plants, which shaded the streamlets of clear water. Sitting down on a block of granite, it was delightful to watch the various insects and birds as they flew past. The humming-bird seems particularly fond of such shady retired spots. Whenever I saw these little creatures buzzing round a flower, with their wings vibrating so rapidly as to be
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F20
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1860. Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle round the world, under the command of Capt. Fitz Roy R.N. London: John Murray. Tenth thousand. Final text.
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Hall, Capt. Basil, on terraces of Coquimbo, 343 Hare, Varying, 45 Head, Capt., on thistle-beds, 119, 124 Height of snow-line on Cordillera, 244 Henslow, Prof., on potatoes, 285 , on plants of Keeling Island, 454 Hermit crabs, 457 Hill, emitting a noise, 361 Himantopus, 114 Hogoleu barrier-reef, 469 Holes made by a bird, 95 Holman on drifted seeds, 454 Holuthuri feeding on coral, 465 Hooker, Sir J., on the Cardoon, 119 , Dr. J. D., on the Kelp, 239 , on Galapageian plants, 392, 395 Horn, Cape, 211
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CUL-DAR84.2.189
Note:
1860.01.27
Gould showed me the Heliothrix auriculata (a humming-bird) (same remark
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! like Macgillivray case of Merganser Sexual characters most strongly displayed in many Humming-Birds very pugnacious. But in some genera males females nearly alike. Does Heliothrix nearly allied to group in which males females are alike? One reddish Humming bird looked dullish till you looked from behind then brilliant colour. The nestling of Wax-birds have the coral tips, sexes are alike: so with quite young kingfishers Ch
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The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online [13] Jan 27/60/ Gould showed me humming-Bird = viz Chrysuronia oenone, which has wide range from Trinidad to Andes, with blue gorget in midst of range this is a very rare local species C. Josephinæ, which differs only in having gorget green; but Gould has seen one single specimen of C. oenone, in which in middle of blue gorget there was patch of bright green — might be Hybrid, or analogous variation.— (ask whether this correct if used) Ch. 7
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The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online [159] Vol. 4. Gould H. Bird (Humming Birds) Chrysobronchus viridicaulis ♀s young males have all tail-feathers tipped with white Bourcieria torquata ♂ ♀ has 8 outer tail-feathers white tipped with black; the central ones all black — (Wonderfully persistent the 2 or 4 central feathers not tipped.) (Endless diversities in the distribution of white dark colour in tail-feathers Gould, John. [1849-]1861. A monograph of the Trochilidæ, or family of humming
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- has a more beautiful gorget than male : ratio of sexes 75 Leadbeatera grata female very unlike young or old male : ratio of sexes. Answered by new law. 120 Myiabeillia typica - 20 males to 1 female - is male very beautiful? Vol 4. Pl. 211. In point of beauty this bird has little to recommend it. Gould, John. [1849-]1861. A monograph of the Trochilidæ, or family of humming-birds. London: Printed by Taylor and Francis
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The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online [149] M. Salvin (Ibis 1864 p. 375) remarked that with Humming bird the female was much more unwilling to leave the open nest, during hot weather when the sun was shining than when it was cloudy cool. Osbert Salvin. 1864. A fortnight amongst the sea-birds of British Honduras. Ibis 6: 372-387. PDF Darwin cited this in Descent 2: 168, n13: Mr. Salvin noticed in Guatemala ('Ibis,' 1864, p. 375) that humming-birds were much more unwilling to leave their
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CUL-DAR85.B92
Note:
[1865--1871]
Male & Female Birds / Some Parrakeets beautifully coloured but females
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Even in some group certain plumes only on speculum plumes other plain [2 words illeg] Peacock tail All the sturdy Humming Birds — Gallinaceous — Many finches c heads of birds with great supposed that gorgeous colours plumes are secondary sexual characters certainly of no use to bird— Then extend view — Plumes gaudy colours not direct effect of conditions, for not common to Both sexes - of no use to male - indeed injurious to female - How then account for presence either in one sex or both
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abundance in other quarters of the globe where there are no Humming Birds. And here we come on the curious facts of geographical distribution, a class of facts which, as much as any other, suggest some specific methods as having been followed in the work of Creation. Humming Birds are absolutely confined to the great Continent of America with its adjacent islands. Within those limits there is every range of climate, and there are particular species of Humming Bird adapted to every region where
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foremost. A bird can, of course, allow itself to fall backwards by merely slowing the action of its wings so as to allow its weight to overcome their sustaining power; and this motion may sometimes give the appearance of flying backwards, as when a Swift drops backwards from the eaves of a house, or when a Humming Bird allows itself to drop in like manner from out of the large tubular petals of a flower. But this backward motion is due to the action of gravity, and not to the action of the
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and specific distinctions between the Humming Birds are mainly of two kinds, 1t, Differences in the form of essential organs, such as the bill and the wings ; 2d, Differences in those parts of the plumage which are purely ornamental. Now, of these two kinds of variation, the only one on which the law of Natural Selection has any bearing at all, is the first. And on that kind of variation, the only bearing which Natural Selection has is this that if any Humming Bird were born with a new form of
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different laws, and by mechanical contrivance in the adjustment of them, it has been given to a bird to find in the thin and yielding air a medium of resistance against which its own muscular force may act, as firm and as effective as that which Man finds in the solid earth. The Humming-Birds are perhaps the most remarkable examples in the world of the machinery of flight. The power of poising themselves in the air, remaining absolutely stationary whilst they search the blossoms for insects, is a
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that most accurate ornithological observer, Mr Gould. He, says: When poised before any object, this action of the wing is so rapidly performed that it is impossible for the eye to follow each stroke, and a hazy semicircle of indistinctness on each side of the bird is all that is perceptible. There is another fact mentioned by those who have watched their movements most closely which corresponds with the explanation already given viz., the fact that the axis of the Humming Bird's body when
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downwards, which would infallibly carry the body onwards, is delivered at such an angle forwards as to bring to an exact balance the upward, the downward, and the forward forces which bear upon the body of the bird. Mr Darwin says, when hovering by a flower, the tail is constantly shut and expanded like a fan, the body being heft in a nearly vertical position. Mr Wallace, another accurate observer, describes the Humming Birds as balancing themselves vertically in the air. These are a few, and
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. But under degrees of development which are very variable, the number is invariable. This identity of structure is the more remarkable from the immense extent of the group which it characterises. There are now known to science no less than about 430 different species of Humming Bird; and it cannot be doubted that many more remain to be discovered among the immense forests and mountain ranges of Central America. Now, what is the bond that unites so closely, in a common structure, all the forms of
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; and community of aspect in created things suggests the idea of some common process in the creative work. Thus, the likeness which is due to common parentage serves the most important purposes; but it is not the less the result of ay physical cause, out of which it arises by way of natural consequence. The likeness of the Humming Birds to each other suggests this kind of cause. It is true that the organs which it principally affects are specially adapted for a special habit of life. They are
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species the bird from which it has been taken belongs. I mention this fact to show that what we designate a Species has really distinctive and constant characters; and in the whole of my experience, with many thousands of Humming Birds passing through my hands, I have never observed an instance of any variation which would lead me to suppose that it was the result of a union of two species. I write this without bias, one way or the other, as to the question of the Origin of Species. I am
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CUL-DAR133.12.1
Printed:
1867.07.00
The philosophy of birds' nests `Intellectual Observer' 11: 413-420
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, with the very simplest adaptations of means to an end quite within the mental capacities of birds. The delicacy and perfection of the nest will bear a direct relation to the size of the bird, its structure and habits. That of the wren or the humming-bird is perhaps not finer or more beautiful in proportion than that of the blackbird, the magpie, or the crow. The wren, having a slender beak, long legs, and great activity, is able with great ease to form a well-woven nest of the finest materials
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CUL-DAR84.2.4
Note:
[1867.08.00]--[[1871]]
Blackbird which in nest of white feathered[?] differs sexually — no / Proof sheet of Variation "Proof - July 19 / 67"
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well concealed in Holes. (Red-start very different, yet builds in Holes - Taking a very broad view of all Birds certain holds good, but not close enough to be generally [illeg] — Trogon, Humming Bird species — These [illeg] though English Birds. It wd, I think, be more difficult to find splendid ♀s with open nest — anyhow not in this country; but some Humming Birds are instances — ( Sun Birds?) Furnarius in S. America in Holes Opetiorhyn Pteroptochos [4v
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CUL-DAR84.2.196
Note:
1867.12.05
The tail feathers of snipe described Proceedings Zoolog Society 1858 and 1867
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The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online 196 The tail-feathers of Snipe described Proc. Zoolog. Soc. 1858 - Have I indices? Machæropterus genus allied to Pipa with shaft of wing-feathers, enlarged, globular naked hard - some of the birds of group make a whistling noise - is a masculine character [in margin:] see abstract of Ibis Mr Salvin showed me the attenuated scimitar like first wing-feather in Curassow for same purpose. He showed me a Humming Bird with the same masculine character Proc
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LINSOC-MS.299
Correspondence:
Darwin Charles Robert, Farrer Thomas Henry
1868--1882
Correspondence of Thomas Henry Farrer and Charles Darwin, between 6 May 1868 and 28 August 1881. Includes recollections of Darwin.
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(39) Not to be copied [Pencil annotation not in Farrer's hand:] More Letters p. 388 [Draft of a letter to Darwin. Published in Correspondence vol. 18, p. 134:] M. Mullers dried Passiflora visited by humming birds — May/70 I am not at all disappointed ─ as far as I can make out from the dried specimen the corona is not stiff like a grating ─ nor is there any [interior] process which should prevent a humming bird getting into the nectary THF 24 May/70 [21
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LINSOC-MS.299
Correspondence:
Darwin Charles Robert, Farrer Thomas Henry
1868--1882
Correspondence of Thomas Henry Farrer and Charles Darwin, between 6 May 1868 and 28 August 1881. Includes recollections of Darwin.
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guarded, were specially calculated to protect the flower from the stiff-beaked humming birds which would not fertilize it, and to facilitate the access of the little proboscis of the humble bee, which would do so; whilst, on the other hand, the long pendent tube and flexible valve-like corona which retains the nectar of Tacsonia would shut out the bee, which would not, and admit the humming bird which would, fertilize that flower. The suggestion is very possibly worthless, and could only be
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F877.1
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1868. The variation of animals and plants under domestication. London: John Murray. 1st ed., first issue. vol. 1.
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America27 as that a humming-bird should be found in the Old World. From the character of the other gallinaceous 25 Mr. Jerdon, in the 'Madras Journ. of Lit. and Science,' vol. xxii. p. 2, speaking of G. bankiva, says, unquestionably the origin of most of the varieties of our common fowls. For Mr. Blyth, see his excellent article in 'Gardener's Chron.' 1851, p. 619; and in 'Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist.,' vol. xx., 1847, p. 388. 26 'Gardener's Chronicle,' 1851, p. 619. 27 I have consulted an
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F878.1
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1868. The variation of animals and plants under domestication. London: John Murray. 1st ed., second issue. vol. 1.
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America27 as that a humming-bird should be found in the Old World. From the character of the other gallinaceous 25 Mr. Jerdon, in the 'Madras Journ. of Lit. and Science.' vol. xxii. p. 2, speaking of G. bankiva, says, unquestionably the origin of most of the varieties of our common fowls. For Mr. Blyth, see his excellent article in 'Gardener's Chron.,' 1851, p. 619; and in 'Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist.,' vol. xx., 1847, p. 388. 26 'Gardener's Chronicle' 1851, p. 619. 27 I have consulted an eminent
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F879.1
Book:
Darwin, C. R. [1868]. The variation of animals and plants under domestication. With a preface by Asa Gray. New York: Orange Judd and Co. vol. 1.
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is succeeded higher up by Gallophasis, and still higher up by Phasianus. Australia, with its islands, is out of the question as the home for unknown species of the genus. It is, also, as improbable that Gallus should inhabit South America27 as that a humming-bird should be found in the old world. From the character of the other gallinaceous birds of Africa, it is not probable that Gallus is an African genus. We need not look to the western parts of Asia, for Messrs. Blyth and Crawfurd, who
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CUL-DAR85.A33-A37
Abstract:
[1868--1871]
'Sexual Selection (Abstracts not Periodicals)' [summary and index to many references]
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to the Trochilidae, or family of humming-birds. London: Taylor Francis. [inscribed] CUL-DAR.LIB.230 PDF] B Swainson Birds Vol. 2. p. 112 - Vidua is name, I think, of Widow Bird. [Swainson, William. 1836-1837. On the natural history and classification of birds. London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green, Longman. 2 vols. (Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopedia: Natural History). CUL-DAR.LIB.776 vol. 1 PDF vol. 2 PDF] Man Allen Thompson in Todds Encycl. Ant. Generation p. 472. Persians said to have improved
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CUL-DAR.LIB.653
Printed:
1870
Contributions to the theory of natural selection. London: Macmillan & Co.
London
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, its structure and habits. That of the wren or the humming-bird is perhaps not finer or more [page] 21
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A2444
Review:
Briggs, Archer. 1870. [Review of Primula]. On the fertilization of the Primrose. Journal of Botany, British and Foreign, 8: 190-191. [Silliman's Journal]
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proboscis into the tube of the corolla, much in the manner of the gayer humming-bird hawk-moth (Macroglossa stellatarum) when gathering from a Honeysuckle-bush or a bed of Verbenas. On the 7th of this month I saw three of these insects hovering over Primroses, and caught one of them as it was probing a flower. I am pleased to find Mr. Shuckard, in his 'British Bees,' to some extent supporting my opinion that the fertilization of the Primrose does not depend almost exclusively on moths, for he says, when
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The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online [70] Dimorphism Linn. Journal Bot. vol XIII no 37 1872 p. 147 Bennett on the Dimorphic flowers of Impatiens with some observations by self — p. 151 Fert by Humming Bird [71
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F937.2
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1871. The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. London: John Murray. vol. 2.
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, namely the humming-bird, is one of the most quarrelsome. Mr. Gosse3 describes a battle, in which a pair of humming-birds seized hold of each other's beaks, and whirled round and round, till they almost fell to the ground; and M. Montes de Oca, in speaking of another genus, says that two males rarely meet without a fierce aerial encounter: when kept in cages their fighting has mostly ended in the splitting of the tongue of one of the two, which then surely dies from being unable to feed. 4 With
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F937.2
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1871. The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. London: John Murray. vol. 2.
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, noise; 55 but it did not appear to Mr. Salvin that the noise was intentionally made. Fig. 44. Primary wing-feather of a Humming-bird, the Selasphorus platycerus (from a sketch by Mr. Salvin). Upper figure, that of male; lower figure, corresponding feather of female. Lastly, in several species of a sub-genus of Pipra or Manakin, the males have their secondary wing-feathers modified, as described by Mr. Sclater, in a still more remarkable manner. In the brilliantly-coloured P. deliciosa the first
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F937.1
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1871. The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. London: John Murray. vol. 1.
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-birds are polygamous. The male widow-bird, remarkable for his caudal plumes, certainly seems to be a polygamist.8 I have been assured by Mr. Jenner Weir and by others, that three starlings not rarely frequent the same nest; but whether this is a case of polygamy or polyandry has not been ascertained. The Gallinace present almost as strongly marked sexual differences as birds of paradise or humming-birds, and many of the species are, as is well known, polygamous; others being strictly monogamous
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F937.2
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1871. The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. London: John Murray. vol. 2.
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even in the breeding-season, shot a female which had any smell of musk. So powerful is this odour during the pairing-season, that it can be detected long before the bird can be seen.2 On the whole, birds appear to be the most sthetic of all animals, excepting of course man, and they have nearly the same taste for the beautiful as we have. This is shewn by our enjoyment of the singing of birds, and by our women, both civilised and savage, decking their heads with borrowed plumes, and using gems
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F937.2
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1871. The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. London: John Murray. vol. 2.
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variation; from the changes which have taken place in many of our domesticated birds; and, lastly, from the character (as we shall hereafter more clearly see) of the immature plumage of young birds we can sometimes indicate with a certain amount of confidence, the probable steps by which the males have acquired their brilliant plumage and various ornaments; yet in many cases we are involved in darkness. Mr. Gould several years ago pointed out to me a humming-bird, the Urosticte benjamini
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F937.2
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1871. The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. London: John Murray. vol. 2.
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passes over sexual selection, and asks, What explanation does the law of natural selection give of such specific varieties as these? He answers none whatever; and I quite agree with him. But can this be so confidently said of sexual selection? Seeing in how many ways the tail-feathers of humming-birds differ, why should not the four central feathers have varied in this one species alone, so as to have acquired white tips? The variations may have been gradual, or somewhat abrupt as in the case
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F937.2
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1871. The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. London: John Murray. vol. 2.
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bower-bird is beautifully lined with tall grasses, so disposed that the heads nearly meet, and the decorations are very profuse. Round stones are used to keep the grass-stems in their proper places, and to make divergent paths leading to the bower. The stones and shells are often brought from a great distance. The Regent bird, as described by [page] 113 PREFERENCE BY THE FEMALE. CHAP. XIV
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F937.2
Book:
Darwin, C. R. 1871. The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. London: John Murray. vol. 2.
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terminate in a disc; or are, as they are sometimes called, spoon or racket-shaped. Feathers of this kind occur in the tail of a motmot (Eumomota superciliaris), of a king-fisher, finch, humming-bird, parrot, several Indian drongos (Dicrurus and Edolius, in one of which the disc stands vertically), and in the tail of certain Birds of Paradise. In these latter birds, similar feathers, beautifully ocellated, ornament the head, as is likewise the case with some gallinaceous birds. In an Indian bustard
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