Tropical Nature, and Other EssaysAMS Press, 1878 - 356 pages |
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Page 23
... equally striking is the changed aspect of the starry heavens . The grand constellation Orion , passes verti- cally overhead , while the Great Bear is only to be seen low down in the northern heavens , and the Pole star either appears ...
... equally striking is the changed aspect of the starry heavens . The grand constellation Orion , passes verti- cally overhead , while the Great Bear is only to be seen low down in the northern heavens , and the Pole star either appears ...
Page 29
... equally dry and only become vapour - laden when they have passed over some extent of moist surface . At the solstices the sun passes vertically over the vicinity of the tropics for several weeks , and this further aggravates the aridity ...
... equally dry and only become vapour - laden when they have passed over some extent of moist surface . At the solstices the sun passes vertically over the vicinity of the tropics for several weeks , and this further aggravates the aridity ...
Page 33
... equally remarkable fig - trees of various species , whose trunks are formed by a miniature forest of aerial roots , sometimes separate , sometimes matted together , are characteristic of the Eastern tropics , but appear to be rare or ...
... equally remarkable fig - trees of various species , whose trunks are formed by a miniature forest of aerial roots , sometimes separate , sometimes matted together , are characteristic of the Eastern tropics , but appear to be rare or ...
Page 69
... more extensive zoological groups which have a wide range in the tropics and do not equally abound in the temperate zones , are few in number , and often include such a diversity of forms , structures , and habits , as to render.
... more extensive zoological groups which have a wide range in the tropics and do not equally abound in the temperate zones , are few in number , and often include such a diversity of forms , structures , and habits , as to render.
Page 72
... equally remarkable . In many localities near the northern or southern tropics they are perhaps equally abundant , but these spots are more or less exceptional ; whereas within the equatorial zone , and with the limitations above stated ...
... equally remarkable . In many localities near the northern or southern tropics they are perhaps equally abundant , but these spots are more or less exceptional ; whereas within the equatorial zone , and with the limitations above stated ...
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Common terms and phrases
abundant adapted adorned Africa allied Amazon animals ants Asia attract bamboo Batavia beautiful become birds blue brilliant butterflies carnivora causes changes character characteristic climate colour Colours of Animals comparatively conspicuous continent curious Danaidæ Darwin distinct Eocene equator equatorial zone existence extensive fact families fauna favourable feet female ferns fertilization flowers foliage forests fruits genera genus greater green groups habits heat humming-birds hyænas immense inhabit insects Juan Fernandez land larger larvæ leaves lemurs less light Madagascar Malay Archipelago male mammalia marsupials Miocene monkeys natural selection naturalists North northern observed occur oceanic ornaments Palearctic parrots peculiar perhaps phenomena plants plumage probably produced proportion protection rays region remarkable resemble sexual selection showy slender sometimes South America species spots structure sun-birds surface tail temperate zones temperature theory tints tion trees tropical trunks Ungulata variation varied variety vegetation whole wings yellow
Popular passages
Page 286 - And assuredly, there is no mark of degradation about any part of its structure. It is, in fact, a fair average human skull, which might have belonged to a philosopher, or might have contained the thoughtless brains of a savage.
Page 134 - I have seen the female sitting quietly on a branch, and two males displaying their charms in front of her. One would shoot up like HUMMING-BIRDS a rocket, then suddenly expanding the snow-white tail like an inverted parachute, slowly descend in front of her, turning round gradually to show off both back and front.
Page 62 - ... from tree to tree, entangling the giants in a great network of coiling cables. Sometimes a tree appears covered with beautiful flowers which do not belong to it, but to one of the lianas that twines through its branches and sends down great rope-like stems to the ground. Climbing ferns and vanilla cling to the trunks, and a thousand epiphytes perch themselves on the branches. Amongst these are large arums that send down long aerial roots, tough and strong, and universally used instead of cordage...
Page 201 - Dr. Wallace, who has had such immense experience in breeding Bombyx cynthia, is convinced that the females evince no choice or preference. He has kept above 300 of these moths living...
Page 289 - ... various forms, and especially to the gibbons ; so that in all probability the special line of variation which led up to man branched off at a still earlier period. And these early forms, being the initiation of a far higher type, and having to develop by natural selection into so...
Page 25 - The approach of the rain-clouds was after a uniform fashion very interesting to observe. First, the cool sea-breeze, which commenced to blow about ten o'clock, and which had increased in force with the increasing power of the sun, would flag and finally die away. The heat and electric tension of the atmosphere would then become almost insupportable. Languor and uneasiness would seize on every one, even the denizens of the forest, betraying it by their motions.
Page 123 - ... while in the temperate regions there have been a series of periodical checks and extinctions of a more or less disastrous nature, necessitating the commencement of the work of development in certain lines over and over again. In the one, evolution has had a fair chance ; in the other, it has had countless difficulties thrown in its way. The equatorial regions are then, as regards their past and present life history, a more ancient world than that represented by the temperate zones, a world in...
Page 179 - It is a suggestive fact that all the brightly-coloured birds mentioned above build in holes or form covered nests, so that the females do not need that protection during the breeding season which I believe to be one of the chief causes of the dull colour of female birds when their partners are gaily coloured.
Page 172 - Animals," (Contributions to the Theory of Natural Selection, p. 45), that very little need be added here except a few words of general explanation. Protective colours are exceedingly prevalent in nature, comprising those of all the white arctic animals, the sandy-coloured desert forms, and the green birds and insects ' of tropical forests. It also comprises thousands...