8 SEX-LORE 



traits, peculiar to man and woman respectively, are 

 called sexual characters. 



Sexual differences are to be observed everywhere 

 in the animal world. Among the higher animals the 

 male is generally much bigger and stronger than the 

 female, and often possesses more brilliant colouring, or 

 appendages, such as combs, wattles, etc., or weapons, 

 such as antlers, spurs, etc., and other decorations, 

 which do not always appear beautiful to the human 

 eye (see Figs. 1 to 5). Many of these decorations in 

 animals only appear at the mating season, and serve 

 a special purpose during the period of courtship. 

 For at this time some males make a great display 

 of their charms ; while others fight among themselves 

 for the possession of the females. 



Darwin, and many subsequent writers with him, 

 held that the female chooses the most beautiful or 

 strongest from among the males, the inferior suitors 

 for her favours being left out in the race of life. As 

 the best individuals would thus always be chosen, 

 they would become the parents of the future genera- 

 tions, and would pass on their good qualities to their 

 progeny. Darwin called this process Sexual Selec- 

 tion. There never has been any doubt that the 

 amorous displays and combats, so wonderfully de- 

 scribed by Darwin, actually do take place among 

 animals. The theory of Sexual Selection, however, 

 is generally rejected nowadays, a different explana- 

 tion of these phenomena being given by modern 

 scientists. It has been shown that the female does 

 not really choose the male; nor is she generally even 

 capable of an aesthetic choice. All that happens is, 

 that she, as well as her partner, is strongly aroused 



