( 254 ) 
[March, 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
THE CHARACTER OF THE SEXES. 
To the Editor of the Monthly Journal of Science. 
Sir, — Mr. Murphy, in his “ Habit and Intelligence,” remarks 
that in man only do we find a reversal of the usual character of 
the sexes. “ In all other species beauty is developed in the sex 
where the passions are strongest, and consequently generally in 
the male.” Other writers, in discussing the origin of man, seem 
to take a somewhat similar view. But if we could ask the lower 
animals, would not each declare that its own species was the 
single exception to the rule that the male sex is the more beau- 
tiful ? Civilised travellers, while fully recognising the beauty of 
women of the higher race, not unfrequently pronounce that 
among the lower savages the men are passable, but the women 
utterly repulsive. — I am, &c., 
S. 
TRANSFORMATION OF SPECIES. 
To the Editor of the Monthly Journal of Science. 
Sir, — I see it mentioned among the “Biological Notes,” in your 
last month’s issue, that M. Bordier considers atmospheric 
pressure as one of the principal agents in the transformation of 
species. If variation is most rapid where pressure is most in- 
tense, should not the deep-sea fauna be richer and more varied 
than it has been found to be during the late Challenger Expe- 
dition ? Are there any observations to show whether variation 
is greater or less at the sea-level than on table-lands and 
mountain-slopes ? — I am, &c., 
J. W. S. 
