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 vi
... plants - Nature of the checks to increase - Compe- tition universal Effects of climate Protection from the number of individuals - Complex relations of all animals and plants throughout nature - Struggle for life most severe between ...
... plants - Nature of the checks to increase - Compe- tition universal Effects of climate Protection from the number of individuals - Complex relations of all animals and plants throughout nature - Struggle for life most severe between ...
Page 4
... plant to the missletoe , and that these had been produced perfect as we now see them ; but this assumption seems to me ... plants would offer the best chance of making out this obscure problem . Nor have I been disappointed ; in this and ...
... plant to the missletoe , and that these had been produced perfect as we now see them ; but this assumption seems to me ... plants would offer the best chance of making out this obscure problem . Nor have I been disappointed ; in this and ...
Page 7
... plants and ani- mals , one of the first points which strikes us , is , that they generally differ more from each other than do the individuals of any one species or variety in a state of nature . When we reflect on the vast diversity of ...
... plants and ani- mals , one of the first points which strikes us , is , that they generally differ more from each other than do the individuals of any one species or variety in a state of nature . When we reflect on the vast diversity of ...
Page 8
... plants , such as wheat , still often yield new varieties : our oldest domesticated animals are still capable of rapid improve- ment or modification . It has been disputed at what period of life the causes of variability , whatever they ...
... plants , such as wheat , still often yield new varieties : our oldest domesticated animals are still capable of rapid improve- ment or modification . It has been disputed at what period of life the causes of variability , whatever they ...
Page 9
... plants have pollen utterly worthless , in the same exact condition as in the most sterile hybrids . When , on the one hand , we see domesticated animals and plants , though often weak and sickly , yet breeding quite freely under ...
... plants have pollen utterly worthless , in the same exact condition as in the most sterile hybrids . When , on the one hand , we see domesticated animals and plants , though often weak and sickly , yet breeding quite freely under ...
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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