RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1870-1871]. Draft of Descent 2: 32 and 29. CUL-DAR110.B34r. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 1.2023. RN1
NOTE: Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volumes CUL-DAR108-111 contain material for Darwin's book Forms of flowers (1877). See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Draft is in the hand of Ebenezer Norman with corrections by Darwin.
[34r]
spire a secondary head. The cause, however, of the bright colours of the venomous Elaps remains to be explained, and this may perhaps be sexual selection.
[The text of this draft corresponds to Descent 2: 32]
Crocodilia.—The sexes apparently do not differ in colour; nor do I know that the males fight together, though this is probable, for some kinds make a prodigious display before the females. Bartram53*(47) describes the male alligator as striving to win the female by splashing and roaring in the midst of a lagoon, "swollen to an extent ready to burst, with his head and tail lifted up, he spins or twirls round on the surface of the water, like an Indian chief rehearsing his feats of of war." With the crocodile Dduring the season of love,
[The text of this draft corresponds to Descent 2: 29].
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 17 October, 2023