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The Origin of Species
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Page - 178 - in The Origin of Species

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CHAPTER VI Difficulties of the Theory Difficulties of the theory of descent with modification—Absence or rarity of transitional varieties—Transitions in habits of life— Diversified habits in the same species—Species with habits widely different from those of their allies—Organs of extreme perfec- tion—Modes of transition—Cases of difficulty—Natura non facit saltum—Organs of small importance—Organs not in all cases absolutely perfect—The law of Unity of Type and of the Con- ditions of Existence embraced by the theory of Natural Selection. LONG before the reader has arrived at this part of my work, a crow^d of difficulties will have occurred to him. Some of them are so serious that to this day I can hardly reflect on them without being in some degree stag- gered; but, to the best of my judgment, the greater number are only apparent, and those that are real are not, I think, fatal to theory. r These difficulties and objections may be classed under the \ following heads;—First, why, if species have descended from V" other species by fine gradations, do we not everywhere see 's innumerable transitional forms? Why is not all nature in }$ confusion, instead of the species being, as we see them, well I defined? L- Secondly, is it possible that an animal having, for instance, the structure and habits of a bat, could have been formed by the modification of some other animal with widely different habits and structure? Can we believe that natural selection could produce, on the one hand, an organ of trifling impor- tance, such as the tail of a girafife, which serves as a fly- flapper, and, on the other hand, an organ so wonderful as the eye? Thirdly, can instincts be acquired and modified through natural selection? What shall we say to the instinct which 178
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The Origin of Species
Title
The Origin of Species
Author
Charles Darwin
Publisher
P. F. Collier & Son
Location
New York
Date
1909
Language
English
License
PD
Size
10.5 x 16.4 cm
Pages
568
Keywords
Evolutionstheorie, Evolution, Theory of Evolution, Naturwissenschaft, Natural Sciences
Categories
International
Naturwissenschaften Biologie

Table of contents

  1. EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION 5
  2. AN HISTORICAL SKETCH of the Progress of Opinion on the Origin of Species 9
  3. INTRODUCTION 21
  4. Variation under Domestication 25
  5. Variation under Nature 58
  6. Struggle for Existence 76
  7. Natural Selection; or the Survival of the Fittest 93
  8. Laws of Variation 145
  9. Difficulties of the Theory 178
  10. Miscellaneous Objections to the Theory of Natural Selection 219
  11. Instinct 262
  12. Hybridism 298
  13. On the Imperfection of the Geological Record 333
  14. On the Geological Succession of Organic Beinss 364
  15. Geographical Distribution 395
  16. Geographical Distribution - continued 427
  17. Mutual Affinities of Organic Beings: Morphology: Embryology: Rudimentary Organs 450
  18. Recapitulation and Conclusion 499
  19. GLOSSARY 531
  20. INDEX 541
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