Note 279 — Chapter III · THEORY OF THE ORIGINAL PAIRING OR MONOGAMOUS FAMILY

Darwin, Animals and Plants under Domestication, II, 81, speaks of pigeons as being "true to their wedding-vow." On polygyny and monogamy among animals see idem, Descent of Man, 216 ff. "Many mammals and some few birds are polygamous, but with animals belonging to the lower classes I have found no evidence of this habit. The intellectual powers of such animals are, perhaps, not sufficient to lead them to collect and guard a harem of females" (216, 217). Birds sometimes lose the pairing "instinct" under domestication (220). Regarding the "marital virtue" of birds, see Hellwald, op. cit., 30.