DARWIN'S THEORY. 25 



Thus, when any individual of the species, Pigeon, 

 displays the variation of the upwardly expanded tail, 

 it is then allotted to a variety, called the Fantail variety; 

 and suffered to be developed in that variety only. All 

 attempts, which individuals, of the other varieties, may 

 make to develop this feature, are discouraged ; and all 

 attempts, which any individuals, of this Fantail variety, 

 may make to develop 'any of the peculiarities of the 

 other varieties, are likewise baffled by the fancier. 

 Again; when an enlargement of the oesophagus 

 appears, it is allotted -to the Pouter variety of the 

 Pigeon ; and a similar policy of repression of erratic 

 individuals, is pursued. Individuals, presenting very 

 long beaks, are allotted to the Carrier variety. The 

 divergent feathers, along the front of the neck, and on 

 the breast, are developed in the Turbit only ; quantity 

 of eye-wattle, in the Barb ; and, reversed feathers, 

 along the back of the head, and on the neck, forming 

 a hood, in the Jacobin. Should any individual, of any 

 one of these varieties, evince an inclination to take 

 upon itself the peculiarity of any one of the other 

 varieties, that individual the fancier remorselessly and 

 systematically suppresses ; because the standard of 

 character, for each variety, must be maintained. By 

 the careful mating of those individuals, of a variety, 

 which develop the peculiarity of their variety, and 

 which also display no disposition to superadd the 

 peculiarities of other varieties, is this great divergence 

 of character effected, upon which Darwin relies to 

 show that these varieties are but incipient species, and 

 that they diverge by different lines of growth into dis- 

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