The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online

RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1861-1870]. Abstract of Hunter, Essays and observations on natural history. CUL-DAR85.B131. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

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.

B131

Hunters Essays by Owen Vol. I p. 194

the ♀ "requires being courted to give her desires".—

Reference:

Hunter, John and Owen, Richard. 1861. Essays and observations on natural history, anatomy, physiology, psychology, and geology. Being his posthumous papers on those subjects, arranged and revised, with notes: to which are added, The introductory lectures on the Hunterian collection of fossil remains, delivered in the theatre of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. 2 vols. London: John Van Voorst. CUL-DAR.LIB.480 vol. 1 PDF
"It would appear that the female is not so desirous for copulation as the male. We find in most animals, if not in all, that the male always courts the female; that she requires being courted to give her desires, otherwise she would not have them so often. Lord Clive's zebra is a strong proof of this. When she was in heat they brought a common male ass to her, but she would not admit his addresses. Lord Clive ordered that the male ass should be painted similar to the female zebra; and this being done, she received him very readily." See also Marginalia, p. 421.

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