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 110
... formation , will gene- rally press hardest on its nearest kindred , and tend to exterminate them . We see the same process of exter- mination amongst our domesticated productions , through the selection of improved forms by man . Many ...
... formation , will gene- rally press hardest on its nearest kindred , and tend to exterminate them . We see the same process of exter- mination amongst our domesticated productions , through the selection of improved forms by man . Many ...
Page 111
... formation , or are , as I have called them , incipient species . How , then , does the lesser difference between varieties become augmented into the greater difference between species ? That this does habitually happen , we must infer ...
... formation , or are , as I have called them , incipient species . How , then , does the lesser difference between varieties become augmented into the greater difference between species ? That this does habitually happen , we must infer ...
Page 125
... formation of genera alone . If , in our diagram , we suppose the amount of change repre- sented by each successive group of diverging dotted lines to be very great , the forms marked a 14 to p14 , those marked 614 and f14 , and those ...
... formation of genera alone . If , in our diagram , we suppose the amount of change repre- sented by each successive group of diverging dotted lines to be very great , the forms marked a 14 to p14 , those marked 614 and f14 , and those ...
Page 279
... formations- On the absence of intermediate varieties in any one formation- On the sudden appearance of groups of species - On their sudden appearance in the lowest known fossiliferous strata . IN the sixth chapter I enumerated the chief ...
... formations- On the absence of intermediate varieties in any one formation- On the sudden appearance of groups of species - On their sudden appearance in the lowest known fossiliferous strata . IN the sixth chapter I enumerated the chief ...
Page 280
... formation and every stratum full of such inter- mediate links ? Geology assuredly does not reveal any such finely graduated organic chain ; and this , perhaps , is the most obvious and gravest objection which can be urged against my ...
... formation and every stratum full of such inter- mediate links ? Geology assuredly does not reveal any such finely graduated organic chain ; and this , perhaps , is the most obvious and gravest objection which can be urged against my ...
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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