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 154
... theory , for an immense period in nearly the same state ; and thus it comes to be no more variable than any other structure . It is only in those cases in which the modification has been comparatively recent and extraordinarily great ...
... theory , for an immense period in nearly the same state ; and thus it comes to be no more variable than any other structure . It is only in those cases in which the modification has been comparatively recent and extraordinarily great ...
Page 161
... theory , to have descended from a common parent , it might be expected that they would occasionally vary in an analogous manner ; so that a variety of one species would resemble in some of its characters another species ; this other ...
... theory , to have descended from a common parent , it might be expected that they would occasionally vary in an analogous manner ; so that a variety of one species would resemble in some of its characters another species ; this other ...
Page 162
... theory , sometimes to find the varying offspring of a species assuming characters ( either from reversion or from analogous variation ) which already occur in some other members of the same group . And this undoubtedly is the case in ...
... theory , sometimes to find the varying offspring of a species assuming characters ( either from reversion or from analogous variation ) which already occur in some other members of the same group . And this undoubtedly is the case in ...
Page 165
... theory , and should be loth to apply it to breeds so distinct as the heavy Belgian cart - horse , Welch ponies , cobs , the lanky Kattywar race , & c . , inhabiting the most distant parts of the world . Now let us turn to the effects of ...
... theory , and should be loth to apply it to breeds so distinct as the heavy Belgian cart - horse , Welch ponies , cobs , the lanky Kattywar race , & c . , inhabiting the most distant parts of the world . Now let us turn to the effects of ...
Page 170
... the innumerable beings on the face of this earth are enabled to struggle with each other , and the best adapted to survive . CHAPTER VI . DIFFICULTIES ON THEORY . Difficulties on the. 170 CHAP . V. LAWS OF VARIATION .
... the innumerable beings on the face of this earth are enabled to struggle with each other , and the best adapted to survive . CHAPTER VI . DIFFICULTIES ON THEORY . Difficulties on the. 170 CHAP . V. LAWS OF VARIATION .
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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