BEETLES THAT "BLUFF" 209 



creatures, though they contain numerous highly-coloured 

 and some exquisitely beautiful species, are more remark- 

 able for their bizarre shapes, and it seems impossible to 

 regard these as the products of sexual selection. Yet 

 this is the interpretation of their origin which, in the 

 judgment of Darwin, we must adopt. He evidently 

 had misgivings as to the correctness of this view ; but it 

 must be remembered that in reviewing the facts relating 

 to these lower orders of Creation he was biased by the 

 evidence which he had brought together in regard to the 

 behaviour of the higher groups under the stimulus of 

 sexual emotion. Convinced that female choice obtained 

 here, he was but following the logical result of such con- 

 clusions in postulating the same factor wherever it could 

 conceivably be applied. The most formidable critic of 

 the Darwinian theory of Sexual Selection was Darwin 

 himself. The dominant ambition in all his work was to 

 explain his facts, not to establish his theory ; and he was 

 convinced that his theory of Sexual Selection did achieve 

 that end ; though there were cases where the evidence 

 he was analysing seemed less clear than in others. That 

 the Beetles presented difficulties is evident from his com- 

 ments thereon. He was puzzled by the vivid coloration 

 which some species present. " They may serve," he re- 

 marks, " as a warning or means of recognition ... as with 

 Beetles the colours of the two sexes are generally alike, we 

 have no evidence that they have been gained through sexual 

 selection ; but this is at least possible, for they may have 

 been developed in one sex and then transferred to the 

 other ; and this view is even in some degree probable in 

 those groups which possess other well-marked secondary 

 sexual characters. ... 



" Some Longicorns, especially certain Prionidse, offej 



14 



