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 51
... intermediate links between his doubtful forms , he will have to trust almost entirely to analogy , and his difficulties rise to a climax . Certainly no clear line of demarcation has as yet been drawn between species and sub - species ...
... intermediate links between his doubtful forms , he will have to trust almost entirely to analogy , and his difficulties rise to a climax . Certainly no clear line of demarcation has as yet been drawn between species and sub - species ...
Page 56
... intermediate links have not been found between doubtful forms , naturalists are com- pelled to come to a determination by the amount of difference between them , judging by analogy whether or not the amount suffices to raise one or both ...
... intermediate links have not been found between doubtful forms , naturalists are com- pelled to come to a determination by the amount of difference between them , judging by analogy whether or not the amount suffices to raise one or both ...
Page 58
... intermediate linking forms , and the occurrence of such links cannot affect the actual characters of the forms which they connect ; and except , secondly by a certain amount of difference , for two forms , if differing very little. 58 ...
... intermediate linking forms , and the occurrence of such links cannot affect the actual characters of the forms which they connect ; and except , secondly by a certain amount of difference , for two forms , if differing very little. 58 ...
Page 112
... intermediate cha- racters , being neither very swift nor very strong , will have been neglected , and will have tended to disappear . Here , then , we see in man's productions the action of what may be called the principle of divergence ...
... intermediate cha- racters , being neither very swift nor very strong , will have been neglected , and will have tended to disappear . Here , then , we see in man's productions the action of what may be called the principle of divergence ...
Page 121
... intermediate forms between the earlier and later states , that is between the less and more improved state of a species , as well as the original parent - species itself , will generally tend to become extinct . So it probably will be ...
... intermediate forms between the earlier and later states , that is between the less and more improved state of a species , as well as the original parent - species itself , will generally tend to become extinct . So it probably will be ...
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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