On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection: Or, The Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life"In considering the Origin of Species, it is quite conceivable that a naturalist, reflecting on the mutual affinities of organic beings, on their embryological relations, their geographical distribution, geological succession, and other such facts, might come to the conclusion that each species had not been independently created, but had descended, like varieties, from other species. Nevertheless, such a conclusion, even if well founded, would be unsatisfactory, until it could be shown how the innumerable species inhabiting this world have been modified, so as to acquire that perfection of structure and coadaptation which most justly excites our admiration. Naturalists continually refer to external conditions, such as climate, food, & c, as the only possible cause of variation. In one very limited sense, as we shall hereafter see, this may be true; but it is preposterous to attribute to mere external conditions, the structure, for instance, of the woodpecker, with its feet, tail, beak, and tongue, so admirably adapted to catch insects under the bark of trees. In the case of the misseltoe, which draws its nourishment from certain trees, which has seeds that must be transported by certain birds, and which has flowers with separate sexes absolutely requiring the agency of certain insects to bring pollen from one flower to the other, it is equally preposterous to account for the structure of this parasite, with its relations to several distinct organic beings, by the effects of external conditions, or of habit, or of the volition of the plant itself"--Introduction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved) |
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Page 2
... doubt errors will have crept in , though I hope I have always been cautious in trusting to good authorities alone . I can here give only the general conclusions at which I have arrived , with a few facts in illustration , but which , I ...
... doubt errors will have crept in , though I hope I have always been cautious in trusting to good authorities alone . I can here give only the general conclusions at which I have arrived , with a few facts in illustration , but which , I ...
Page 6
... doubt , after the most de- liberate study and dispassionate judgment of which I am capable , that the view which most naturalists enter- tain , and which I formerly entertained — namely , that each species has been independently created ...
... doubt , after the most de- liberate study and dispassionate judgment of which I am capable , that the view which most naturalists enter- tain , and which I formerly entertained — namely , that each species has been independently created ...
Page 12
... doubts how strong is the tendency to inheritance : like produces like is his fundamental belief : doubts have been thrown on this principle by theoretical writers alone . When any deviation of structure often appears , and we see it in ...
... doubts how strong is the tendency to inheritance : like produces like is his fundamental belief : doubts have been thrown on this principle by theoretical writers alone . When any deviation of structure often appears , and we see it in ...
Page 16
... doubt could not so perpetu- ally recur . It has often been stated that domestic races do not differ from each other in characters of generic value . I think it could be shown that this statement is hardly correct ; but naturalists ...
... doubt could not so perpetu- ally recur . It has often been stated that domestic races do not differ from each other in characters of generic value . I think it could be shown that this statement is hardly correct ; but naturalists ...
Page 17
... doubt about the immutability of the many very closely allied natural species - for in- stance , of the many foxes - inhabiting different quarters of the world . I do not believe , as we shall presently see , that the whole amount of ...
... doubt about the immutability of the many very closely allied natural species - for in- stance , of the many foxes - inhabiting different quarters of the world . I do not believe , as we shall presently see , that the whole amount of ...
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Common terms and phrases
adapted affinities allied species America analogous ancient animals become bees believe birds breeds cause cells chapter characters cirripedes climate closely allied colour continuous crossed crustaceans degree difficulty distinct species divergence domestic doubt embryo Europe existing exterminated extinct extremely facts favourable Fcap fertility flowers formations forms fossil Gärtner genera genus geological geological period Glacial period greater number groups of species habits Hence hermaphrodites History hybrids hybrids produced important individuals inhabitants inherited insects instance instincts intercrossing intermediate land larvæ less living male mammals manner migration modification modified descendants natural selection naturalists nearly nest offspring perfect pigeons plants pollen Portrait Post 8vo present principle probably produced progenitor racter ranked reciprocal crosses remarked resemble rudimentary organs Second Edition seeds sexual selection Silurian slight South America sterility structure struggle successive supposed theory Third Edition tion variability variations varieties vary Vols widely Woodcuts