or those by which the species of the same genus differ from each other, be more variable than
the the 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 | the 1872 |
generic characters in which they all agree? Why, for instance, should the colour of a flower be more likely to vary in any one species of a genus, if the other
species, species, 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 | species 1872 |
supposed to have been created independently, have supposed to have been created independently, have 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 |
possess 1872 |
differently coloured flowers, than if all
the species of the genus have the species of the genus have 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 |
possessed 1872 |
the same coloured flowers? If species are only well-marked varieties, of which the characters have become in a high degree permanent, we can understand this fact; for they have already varied since they branched off from a common progenitor in certain characters, by which they have come to be specifically distinct from each other;
and and 1859 1860 1861 1866 | and 1869 1872 |
therefore these same characters would be more likely
still still 1859 1860 1861 1866 | again 1869 1872 |
to
be variable be variable 1859 1860 1861 1866 | vary 1869 1872 |
than the generic characters which have been inherited without change for an
enormous enormous 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 | immense 1872 |
period. It is inexplicable on the theory of creation why a part developed in a very unusual manner in
any any 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 | any 1872 |
one species
of of 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 | alone of 1872 |
a genus, and therefore, as we may naturally infer, of great importance to
the the 1859 1860 1861 | that 1866 1869 1872 |
species, should be eminently liable to variation; but, on
my my 1859 1860 1861 1866 | our 1869 1872 |
view, this part has
undergone, undergone, 1859 1860 1861 1866 1872 | undergone 1869 |
since the several species branched off from a common progenitor, an unusual amount of variability and modification, and therefore we might expect
this this 1859 1860 1861 | the 1866 1869 1872 |
part generally to be still variable. But a part may be developed in the most unusual manner, like the wing of a bat, and yet not be more variable than any other structure, if the part be common to many subordinate forms, that is, if it has been inherited for a very long period; for in this case it will have been rendered constant by long-continued natural selection. |