RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1868.03.24. Gould / The almost invariable rules with Birds as long known is that when. CUL-DAR84.2.210. 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: 39.


[210]

Gould March 24 /68 The almost invariable rule with Birds as long known, is that when sexes - are unlike, the young male, but Mr G. has ascertained but has not yet published the singular fact that with Humming Birds, the young males in many genera, begin from the nest to take on the living & ornament of the adult males, & it in time clearly resembles the females, whilst the young females begin from first to take on their dress of mature female – He shewed me Polytmus, which is a good illustration for the young males soon begin to acquire the disc-like tail-feathers of adult male, as well as the colours & consequently do not resemble the female. The two supposed sp. of Juan Fernandez (genus? close to Eustephanus) are wonderfully different, the male being rich chesnut brown & female beautifully


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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