282 



ELIMINATION AND SELECTION. 



kind (that is, within a fioshy or pnlpy envelope), if it be 

 coloured of any brilliant tint, or rendered conspicaonB Ly 

 being white or black." * 



Here wo have a caae of the convorHO of elimination, a case 

 of genuine selection under nature. But even here the pro- 

 cess of elimination also comes into play, for the visitations of 

 flowers by insects involves cross-fertilization. The flowers 

 of two distinct individuals of the same species of plants in 

 this manner fertilize each other ; and the act of cros.sing, as 

 Mr. Darwin so exquisitely proved, gives rise to vigorous 

 seedlings, which consequently would liave the best ohancQ 

 of flourishing and surviving — would best resist elimination 

 by competition. So that we here have the double process 

 at work ; the fairest flowers being selected by insects, and 

 those plants which failed to produce such flowers being 

 eliminated as the relatively unfit. 



If we turn to the phenomena of what Mr. Darwin termed 

 sexual selection, we find botli soloction and elimination 

 brought into play. By the law of battle, the weaker and 

 less courageous males are eliminated so far as the continua- 

 tion of their kind is concerned. By the individual choice 

 of the females (I may not here say tlie fairer sex), the finer, 

 bolder, handsomer, and more tuneful wooers are selected. 



Let us again hear the voice of Mr. Darwin himself. 

 " Most male birds," he says, " are highly pugnacious during 

 the breeding season, and some possess weapons especially 

 adapted for fighting with their rivals. But the most pug- 

 nacious and the best-armed males rarely or never depend 

 for success solely on their power to drive away or kill their 

 rivals, but have special means for charming the female. 

 With some it is the power of song, or of emitting strange 



" Origin of iSpccies," p. IGl. 



