330 LESSONS FEOM NATURE. [CHAP. X. 



5th (p. 218), &quot;that an ancient style of plumage, partially 

 modified through the transference of some characters from 

 the summer plumage, has been retained by the adults during 

 the winter.&quot; 6th (p. 220), to account for the young of two 

 species of humming-birds of Juan Fernandez, we have the 

 following hypothetical suggestion : &quot; If, then, we might 

 assume that during some former lengthened period the males 

 of the Juan Fernandez species had greatly exceeded the 

 females in number; but that during another lengthened period 

 the females had greatly exceeded the males, we could under 

 stand how the males at one time, and the females at another 

 time, might have been rendered beautiful by the selection of 

 the brighter-coloured individuals of either sex ; both sexes 

 transmitting their characters to their young at a rather 

 earlier age than usual.&quot; 7th (p. 337), that &quot; the varied tones 

 and cadences &quot; of the &quot; impassioned orator, bard, or musician,&quot; 

 are the development of the inarticulate cries of brutes. 8th, 

 This last idea reposes on yet another hypothesis, namely, 

 that apes may have developed their more extraordinary vocal 

 organs in connection with the sexual instinct, and this in 

 spite of Mr. Darwin s own admission that &quot; little is known 

 about the use of the voice in the Quadrumana during the 

 season of love.&quot; 9th (a second hypothesis ancillary to the 

 seventh hypothesis), that &quot; musical tones and rhythm were 

 used by the half-human progenitors of man during the season 

 of courtship.&quot; 10th (a third hypothesis ancillary to the 

 seventh hypothesis), that if strong sexual emotions become 

 connected with musical tones in certain animals, then these 

 same tones may become connected with quite other emotions 

 in their descendants. llth (p. 370), that races of men 

 separating into tribes, each isolated tribe would form for 

 itself a different standard of beauty. 12th, and lastly, &quot; that 

 certain tastes as to beauty may in the course of time become 

 inherited.&quot; 



Now there is no intention here of asserting that none of 

 these hypotheses are true, but certainly a theory which re 

 quires so many hypothetical props can hardly be deemed 



