RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1860.01.27. Gould showed me the Heliothrix auriculata. CUL-DAR84.2.189. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 3.2022. 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 2: 188.


[189]

Jan 27 /60/  Gould shewed me the Heliothrix (Y) auriculata (a humming-bird) see [3 words illeg] (same remark applicable to other species genus) in which the female has much longer tail than male with the white outer feathers spotted on under side with black. This Hen is equally bright green on back but the male has splendid gorget & ear-tuft which Hen has not. The young male has longer tail than the old like the Hen: capital illustration of law! 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 6


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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