RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1868.03.10. F. Smith says. (March 10 68/ that the males of Bombus are decidedly very much more variable in colour than females. CUL-DAR81.144. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 2.2022. RN1

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).

Darwin cited this in Descent 1: 365.

[144]

[in margin:] Number of sexes

F. Smith says. (March 10 68/ that the males of Bombus are decidedly very much more variable in colour than females - Will tell me about number of sexes hereafter. He cannot say whether male or female depart most from type. Several act as Formica umbrata the males are small & black & the female testaceous. Males of Bees almost invariably emerge before female, even more than a week before, & this holds

[144v]

good even with these species in which males are larger than females.

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Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

File last updated 25 September, 2022