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 37
... produced such splendid results from such poor materials ; but the art , I cannot doubt , has been simple , and , as far as the final result is concerned , has been followed almost un- consciously . It has consisted in always cultivating ...
... produced such splendid results from such poor materials ; but the art , I cannot doubt , has been simple , and , as far as the final result is concerned , has been followed almost un- consciously . It has consisted in always cultivating ...
Page 63
... produces a thousand seeds , of which on an average only one comes to maturity , may be more truly said to struggle with the ... produced than can possibly sur- vive , there must in every case be a struggle for exist- ence , either one ...
... produces a thousand seeds , of which on an average only one comes to maturity , may be more truly said to struggle with the ... produced than can possibly sur- vive , there must in every case be a struggle for exist- ence , either one ...
Page 64
... produced only two seeds - and there is no plant so unproductive as this - and their seedlings next year pro- duced two , and so on , then in twenty years there would be a million plants . The elephant is reckoned the slowest breeder of ...
... produced only two seeds - and there is no plant so unproductive as this - and their seedlings next year pro- duced two , and so on , then in twenty years there would be a million plants . The elephant is reckoned the slowest breeder of ...
Page 66
... produce extremely few , is , that the slow - breeders would require a few more years to people , under favourable ... produced , or the species will become extinct . It would suffice to keep up the full number of a tree , which lived ...
... produce extremely few , is , that the slow - breeders would require a few more years to people , under favourable ... produced , or the species will become extinct . It would suffice to keep up the full number of a tree , which lived ...
Page 77
... produced from such seeds ( as peas and beans ) , when sown in the midst of long grass , I suspect that the chief use of the nutriment in the seed is to favour the growth of the young seedling , whilst struggling with other plants ...
... produced from such seeds ( as peas and beans ) , when sown in the midst of long grass , I suspect that the chief use of the nutriment in the seed is to favour the growth of the young seedling , whilst struggling with other plants ...
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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