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Studies in the Theory of Descent (Volumes 1 and 2)

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Nature, Gardens & Animals

Studies in the Theory of Descent (Volumes 1 and 2)

August Weismann and Charles Darwin

679 pages~13 hr 32 min read51 chapters$4.99
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Why do some butterflies wear one dress in spring and another in summer? August Weismann builds a theory of descent from the seasonal dimorphism of butterflies, linking form to climate and variation. This combined volume gathers his groundbreaking evolutionary studies. Dense and rigorous, it shaped how biologists think about heredity and change. A cornerstone of the science.

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Inside this book

51 chapters

  1. 1STUDIES IN THE THEORY OF DESCENT.
  2. 2PREFATORY NOTICE.
  3. 3TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE.
  4. 4PREFACE TO THE ENGLISH EDITION.
  5. 5CONTENTS.
  6. 6STUDIES IN THE THEORY OF DESCENT.
  7. 7Part I. ON THE SEASONAL DIMORPHISM OF BUTTERFLIES.
  8. 8I. The Origin and Significance of Seasonal Dimorphism.
  9. 9II. Seasonal Dimorphism and Climatic Variation.
  10. 10III. Nature of the Causes producing Climatic Varieties.
  11. 11IV. Why all Polygoneutic Species are not Seasonally Dimorphic.
  12. 12V. On Alternation of Generations.
  13. 13VI. General Conclusions.
  14. 14APPENDIX I. EXPERIMENTS.
  15. 15APPENDIX II.
  16. 16EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES.
  17. 17STUDIES IN THE THEORY OF DESCENT.
  18. 18Part II. ON THE FINAL CAUSES OF TRANSFORMATION.

+ 33 more. The full contents open with the book.

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