PDF - Wallace Online
Share Embed Flag
Download ePaper

PDF - Wallace Online

PDF - Wallace Online PDF - Wallace Online

wallace.online.org
from wallace.online.org More from this publisher
12.07.2015 Views

THE COLOURS OF ANIMALS AND SEXUAL SELECTION 1General Phenomena of Colour in the Organic World Theory of Heat andLight as producing Colour Changes of Colour in Animals producedby Coloured Light Classification of Organic Colours ProtectiveColours Warning Colours Sexual Colours Normal Colours TheNature of Colour How Animal Colours are produced Colour anormal product of Organisation Theory of Protective Colours-Theory of Warning Colours Imitative Warning Colours The Theoryof Mimicry Theory of Sexual Colours Colour as a means of RecognitionColour proportionate to Integumentary Development Selectionby Females not a cause of Colour Probable use of the Hornsof Beetles Cause of the greater Brilliancy of some Female InsectsOrigin of the Ornamental Plumage of Male Birds Theory of Displayof Ornaments by Males Natural Selection as neutralising SexualSelection Greater Brilliancy of some Female Birds Colour-developmentas illustrated by Humming-Birds Theory of Normal ColoursLocal causes of Colour-development The influence of Locality onColour in Butterflies and Birds Sense -perception influenced by Colourof the Integuments Summary on Colour-development in Animals.General Phenomena of Colour in the Organic WorldTHERE is probably no one quality of natural objects fromwhich we derive so much pure and intellectual enjoyment asfrom their colours. The heavenly blue of the firmament, theglowing tints of sunset, the exquisite purity of the snowymountains, and the endless shades of green presented by theverdure-clad surface of the earth, are a never-failing source ofpleasure to all who enjoy the inestimable gift of sight. Yetthese constitute, as it were, but the frame and background of1 A first sketch of this essay appeared in Macmillan's Magazine of Sep^tember 1877,

v COLOURS OF ANIMALS 339a marvellous and ever-changing picture. In contrast withthese broad and soothing tints, we have presented to us inthe vegetable and animal worlds an infinite variety of objectsadorned with the most beautiful and most varied hues.Flowers, insects, and birds are the organisms most generallyornamented in thisway and their ; symmetry of form, theirvariety of structure, and the lavish abundance with whichthey clothe and enliven the earth, cause them to be objectsof universal admiration. The relation of this wealth of colourto our mental and moral nature is indisputable. The childand the savage alike admire the gay tints of flower, bird,and insect ;while to many of us their contemplation brings asolace and enjoyment which is both intellectually and morallybeneficial. It can then hardly excite surprise that this relationwas long thought to afford a sufficient explanation of thephenomena of colour in nature and; although the fact thatFull many a flower is born to blush unseen,And waste its sweetness on the desert air,might seem to throw some doubt on the sufficiency of theexplanation, the answer was easy, that in the progress ofdiscovery man would, sooner or later, find out and enjoyevery beauty that the hidden recesses of the earth have instore for him. This theory received great support from thedifficulty of conceiving any other use or meaning in thecolours with which so many natural objects are adorned.Why should the homely gorse be clothed in golden raiment,and the prickly cactus be adorned with crimson bells ?Whyshould our fields be gay with buttercups, and the heather-cladmountains be clad in purple robes Why ? should every landproduce its own peculiar floral gems, and the alpine rocksglow with beauty, if not for the contemplation and enjoymentof man ? What could be the use to the butterfly of its gailypaintedwings, or to the humming-bird of its jewelled breast,except to add the final touches to a world-picture, calculated atonce to please and to refine mankind ? And even now, with all ourrecently acquired knowledge of this subject, who shall say thatthese old-world views were not intrinsically and fundamentallysound; and that, although we now know that colour has "uses"in nature that we little dreamt of, yet the relation of thosecolours or rather of the various rays of light to our senses

THE COLOURS OF ANIMALS AND SEXUAL SELECTION 1General Phenomena of Colour in the Organic World Theory of Heat andLight as producing Colour Changes of Colour in Animals producedby Coloured Light Classification of Organic Colours ProtectiveColours Warning Colours Sexual Colours Normal Colours TheNature of Colour How Animal Colours are produced Colour anormal product of Organisation Theory of Protective Colours-Theory of Warning Colours Imitative Warning Colours The Theoryof Mimicry Theory of Sexual Colours Colour as a means of RecognitionColour proportionate to Integumentary Development Selectionby Females not a cause of Colour Probable use of the Hornsof Beetles Cause of the greater Brilliancy of some Female InsectsOrigin of the Ornamental Plumage of Male Birds Theory of Displayof Ornaments by Males Natural Selection as neutralising SexualSelection Greater Brilliancy of some Female Birds Colour-developmentas illustrated by Humming-Birds Theory of Normal ColoursLocal causes of Colour-development The influence of Locality onColour in Butterflies and Birds Sense -perception influenced by Colourof the Integuments Summary on Colour-development in Animals.General Phenomena of Colour in the Organic WorldTHERE is probably no one quality of natural objects fromwhich we derive so much pure and intellectual enjoyment asfrom their colours. The heavenly blue of the firmament, theglowing tints of sunset, the exquisite purity of the snowymountains, and the endless shades of green presented by theverdure-clad surface of the earth, are a never-failing source ofpleasure to all who enjoy the inestimable gift of sight. Yetthese constitute, as it were, but the frame and background of1 A first sketch of this essay appeared in Macmillan's Magazine of Sep^tember 1877,

logo

products

Resources

Company

Terms of service
Privacy policy
Cookie policy
Cookie settings
Imprint
Change language
Made with love in Switzerland
© 2024 Yumpu.com all rights reserved

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!