( ( ( ( These ( would ( be ( ( a test ) ( of ( his theory ) ) ) ) ) ) : ) ( previously ( ( aspects ( such ( as ( coloration ( of ( ( plants and ) animals ) ) ) ) ) ) ( ( had often ) ( been ( regarded ( as ( having ( no ( adaptive function ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . )
(ROOT (S (S (NP (DT These)) (VP (MD would) (VP (VB be) (NP (NP (DT a) (NN test)) (PP (IN of) (NP (PRP$ his) (NN theory))))))) (: :) (S (ADVP (RB previously)) (NP (NP (NNS aspects)) (PP (JJ such) (IN as) (NP (NP (NN coloration)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NNS plants) (CC and) (NNS animals)))))) (VP (VBD had) (ADVP (RB often)) (VP (VBN been) (VP (VBN regarded) (PP (IN as) (S (VP (VBG having) (NP (DT no) (JJ adaptive) (NN function))))))))) (. .)))
These would be a test of his theory: previously aspects such as coloration of plants and animals had often been regarded as having no adaptive function.
(ROOT (S (NP (NNP Coloration)) (ADVP (RB often)) (VP (VBZ helps) (S (NP (DT an) (NN animal)) (VP (VB attract) (NP (DT a) (NN mate))))) (. .)))