Concerning Eyes. 187 



possibly, also, in the minds of other species with 

 certain colours. Bright red seems the appropriate 

 hue of anger the poet Herbert even calls the rose 

 < angrie and brave " on account of its hue and the 

 red or orange certainly expresses resentment better 

 than the dark eye. Even a very slight spontaneous 

 variation in the colouring of the irides might give 

 an advantage to an individual for natural selection 

 to act on ; for we can see in almost any living 

 creature that not only in its perpetual metaphorical 

 struggle for existence is its life safeguarded in many 

 ways; but when protective resemblances, flight, 

 and instincts of concealment all fail, and it is com- 

 pelled to engage in a real struggle with a living 

 adversary, it is provided for such occasions with 

 another set of defences. Language and attitudes 

 of defiance come into play ; feathers or hairs are 

 erected ; beaks snap and strike, or teeth are gnashed, 

 and the mouth foams or spits ; the body puffs out ; 

 wings are waved or feet stamped on the ground, 

 and many other intimidating gestures of rage are 

 practised. It is not possible to believe that the 

 colouring of the crystal globes, towards which an 

 opponent's sight is first directed, and which most 

 vividly exhibit the raging emotions within, can have 

 been entirely neglected as a means of defence by 

 the principle of selection in nature. For all these 

 reasons I believe the bright- coloured eye is an 

 improvement on the dark eye. 



Man has been very little improved in this 

 direction, the dark eye, except in the north of 



