RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1877.10.23-24. Lupinus luteus / Draft of Descent, vol. 1. CUL-DAR209.4.231. (John van Wyhe ed., 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and John van Wyhe, edited by John van Wyhe 9.2022. 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 volume CUL-DAR209.4 contains materials for Darwin's book Movement in plants (1880).
Draft of Descent in the hand of Ebenezer Norman with corrections by Darwin.
[231]
Oct 23d
Lupinus luteus
in dark Vertical glass
Left Hand Right Hand
8°. 15' 8. 15. [sketch]
8. 4.
8. 47' to left & down 8. 47 to left & up
9. 15 do 9. 15 to left & down
9. 51— a little up 9. 51 a little down & to right
Tied stem forgotten
10° new dot 10' new dot
10. 33 to left 10 33' a little up & little to left
11. 6' to left & down (can whole stem move? 11°. 6 up
11 43 same course 11° 43 down
12. 13 do 12. 13' down & to right
12 40 do 12. 40' down & to the right
(⨀ — Bristle apart
⨀)
1°. 44' do 1. 44 to the right & down
2 30 down a little (Used) 2. 30 a little up.
3 5 down straight 3. 5' little down
3. 30 do 3. 30 down
4° 5 very little bit 4. 5 down & to right X
(⨀ 4. 5'
⨀) (same at 8°. 45')
4. 43 down bit 4 4.3 down
[sketch]
glass
5. 26 a little down 5. 26 to the right X
(dots same distance)
[sketch]
end of Bristle mark.
6. 30 a little down. 6. 30 a little down
7. 30 to right ? 7. 30 — down
9. 5 little down 9. 5 little down
10 35 a little up (or move about same spot 10. 35 do..
24th 6. 50 ⨀ 24' 6. 50 ⨀
8' 15 a little down 8° 15 a little up
Distance glass to end of Bristle 10 3/8 —— 10 7/8
distance end of Bristle to mark ⨀ ⨀ —— ⨀ ⨀
20. 2/10 times do→ Length of Bristle between Cot 13.6 times
(used)
[231v]
6 (89 101
Chap. 8. Principles of Nat. Selection
shows that minor differences in fertility will be regulated by through natural selection. It is almost obvious that the fertility of each species will tends to increase, from the more fertile pairs producing a greater number of offspring, which naturally will have the best chance of surviving, and will inherit the same tendency to greater fertility. The only check to a continued augmentation of fertility of each organism seems to be either the expenditure of more more power and the greater risks run by the parents which produce a more numerous progeny, and or the contingency of very numerous eggs and young being produced of smaller size, or less vigorous, or subsequently not so well nurtured. To strike a balance in any case between their their several disadvantages from a numerous progeny, and the advantages from a large number of eggs or and young, as a means of escape from all sorts of dangers, (as favouring to escape of at least some individuals from various dangers) is quite beyond our means power of judgment in any one case.
When an organism has once been rendered extremely fertile, how its fertility can could be again reduced through natural selection is not so obvious as how this capacity was was could be first acquired. Yet it is obvious that if a species, from the decrease of its natural enemies, was habitually reared in larger numbers than could be supported, all its members would suffer. Nevertheless the
[Descent 1: 318-19: "Mr. Spencer further shews that minor differences in fertility will be regulated through natural selection. Thus the fertility of each species will tend to increase, from the more fertile pairs producing a larger number of offspring, and these from their mere number will have the best chance of surviving, and will transmit their tendency to greater fertility. The only check to a continued augmentation of fertility in each organism seems to be either the expenditure of more power and the greater risks run by the parents that produce a more numerous progeny, or the contingency of very numerous eggs and young being produced of smaller size, or less vigorous, or subsequently not so well nurtured. To strike a balance in any case between the disadvantages which follow from the production of a numerous progeny, and the advantages (such as the escape of at least some individuals from various dangers) is quite beyond our power of judgement.
When an organism has once been rendered extremely fertile, how its fertility can be reduced through natural selection is not so clear as how this capacity was first acquired. Yet it is obvious that if individuals of a species, from a decrease of their natural enemies, were habitually reared in larger numbers than could be supported, all the members would suffer. Nevertheless the offspring from the less fertile parents would have no direct advantage over the offspring from the more fertile parents, when all were mingled together in the same district."]
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 20 December, 2025