THE HOENS AND ANTLEES OF EUMINANTS. 283 



and even those phenomena of variation, whether in horns or 

 antlers, which concern the varying organism rather than the 

 modifying conditions, may lead us from our definitions of genera 

 and species to reflect upon the pregnant remark of Weismann, 

 that " the struggle for existence does not cease with the founda- 

 tion of a new specific type, or with some perfect adaptation to the 

 external or internal conditions of life, but it becomes, on the 

 contrary, even more severe, so that the most minute differences 

 of structure determine the issue between life and death." 



(2). The passionate energy of sexual combat among poly- 

 gamous and gregarious animals inclines the imagination to 

 picture fatal results which are, nevertheless, without foundation 

 in fact. Careful and repeated observation in the case of species 

 endowed with combative instincts, and armed with formidable 

 weapons, unquestionably attests the conclusion that injuries of 

 any kind are rare, that fatal results are exceptional, that even 

 the want of weapons is no barrier to mastership. Such a con- 

 clusion will not surprise when we review the structural types, 

 which are a common character of cranial weapons, in relation to 

 the method of sexual warfare, which is the common heritage 

 of ruminants; and recall the difficulties that Darwin felt in 

 attempting to explain the one as an adaptation to the purpose of 

 the other. In a conflict which resolves itself into a butting and 

 pushing match with forehead pressed to forehead, weapons inter- 

 locked with weapons, and the issue decided not by force of arms, 

 but by wind, and weight, and persistent endurance, horns and 

 antlers, whether set transversely to the facial axis or vertically 

 extended in line with it, can play but an insignificant part or 

 none at all. The rare occasions of death appear to indicate that 

 the fatal thrust was dealt in pursuit as the beaten opponent 

 turned his flank in flight. 



Illustration of sexual warfare through all groups would be 

 desirable, but does not occur in the recorded experience of 

 hunters, and in the circumstances it could hardly be otherwise. 

 The absence of evidence chiefly affects the Antelopes, in regard 

 to which Mr. Selous,* in his nine years' * Wanderings in Africa,' 



* Should these lines meet the eye of Mr. Selous, the result of that 

 distinguished hunter's experience on the subject would be greatly valued by 

 the present writer, 



z 3 



