PREFACE 
viii 
I thus take up Darwins earlier position, from which he some¬ 
what receded in the later editions of his works, on account 
of criticisms and objections which I have endeavoured to show 
are unsound. Even in rejecting that phase of sexual selection 
depending on female choice, I insist on the greater efficacy 
of natural selection. This is pre-eminently the Darwinian 
doctrine, and I therefore claim for my book the position of 
being the advocate of pure Darwinism. 
I wish to express my obligation to Mr. Francis Darwin for 
lending me some of his fathers unused notes, and to many other 
friends for facts or information, which have, 1 believe, been 
acknowledged either in the text or footnotes. Mr. James Sime 
has kindly read over the proofs and given me many useful 
suggestions; and I have to thank Professor Meldola, Mr. 
Hemsley, and Mr. E. B. Poulton for valuable notes or 
corrections in the later chapters in which their special subjects 
are touched upon. 
Godalming, March 1889. 
