We show that a common evolutionary history can produce the black hole binaries in the Galaxy in which the black holes have masses of \sim 5 - 10 M _ { \odot } .
In with low-mass , \mathrel { \hbox to 0.0 pt { \lower 3.0 pt \hbox { $ \sim$ } } \raise 1.0 pt \hbox { $ < $ } } 2.5 M _ % { \odot } , ZAMS ( zero age main sequence ) companions , the latter remain in main sequence during the active stage of soft X-ray transients ( SXTs ) , most of them being of K or M classification .
In two intermediate cases , IL Lupi and Nova Scorpii with ZAMS \sim 2.5 M _ { \odot } companions the orbits are greatly widened because of large mass loss in the explosion forming the black hole , and whereas these companions are in late main sequence evolution , they are close to evolving .
Binaries with companion ZAMS masses \mathrel { \hbox to 0.0 pt { \lower 3.0 pt \hbox { $ \sim$ } } \raise 1.0 pt \hbox { $ > $ } } 3 M _ { \odot } are initially “ silent ” until the companion begins evolving across the Herzsprung gap .

We provide evidence that the narrower , shorter period binaries , with companions now in main sequence , are fossil remnants of gamma ray bursters ( GRBs ) .
We also show that the GRB is generally accompanied by a hypernova explosion ( a very energetic supernova explosion ) .
We further show that the binaries with evolved companions are good models for some of the ultraluminous X-ray sources ( ULXs ) recently seen by Chandra in other galaxies .

The great regularity in our evolutionary history , especially the fact that most of the companions of ZAMS mass \mathrel { \hbox to 0.0 pt { \lower 3.0 pt \hbox { $ \sim$ } } \raise 1.0 pt \hbox { $ < $ } } 2.5 M _ % { \odot } 
remain in main sequences as K or M stars can be explained by the mass loss in common envelope evolution to be Case C ; i.g. , to occur only after core He burning has finished .
Since our argument for Case C mass transfer is not generally understood in the community , we add an appendix , showing that with certain assumptions which we outline we can reproduce the regularities in the evolution of black hole binaries by Case C mass transfer .