Origin of Species Variorum

→ the metamorphoses of certain animals might first have been acquired, and subsequently transmitted to numerous modified descendants. 1866

animals in certain cases might come to pass through stages of development, perfectly distinct from their primordial, adult condition. 1869

animals might come to pass through stages of development, perfectly distinct from the primordial condition of their adult progenitors. 1872

↑ 6 blocks not present in 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869; present in 1872

Most of our best authorities are now convinced that the various larval and pupal stages of insects have thus been acquired through adaptation, and not through inheritance from some ancient form. The curious case of Sitaris— a beetle which passes through certain unusual stages of development— will illustrate how this might occur. The first larval form is described by M. Fabre, as an active, minute insect, furnished with six legs, two long antennæ, and four eyes. These larvæ are hatched in the nests of bees; and when the male-bees emerge from their burrows, in the spring, which they do before the females, the larvæ spring on them, and afterwards crawl on to the females whilst paired with the males. As soon as the female bee deposits her eggs on the surface of the honey stored in the cells, the larvæ of the Sitaris leap on the eggs and devour them. Afterwards they undergo a complete change; their eyes disappear; their legs and antennæ become rudimentary, and they feed on honey; so that they now more closely resemble the ordinary larvæ of insects; ultimately they undergo a further transformation, and finally emerge as the perfect beetle.

→ goes so far as to 1866

OMIT 1869

→ and 1866

stages, as well as the 1869

→ arisen from 1866

been acquired through 1869

→ a minute, active 1866

an active, minute 1869

→ in the spring 1866

OMIT 1869

→ do 1866

spring, which they do 1869

→ take an early and natural opportunity of crawling on to the female-bees. 1866

crawl on the females whilst paired with the males. 1869

→ When the latter 1866

As soon as the females 1869

→ one in each cell, 1866

OMIT 1869

→ the larva 1866

stored in their cells, the larvæ of the Sitaris 1869

from their parents to any conceivable extent. Differences in the larvæ might, also, become correlated with successive stages of development; so that the larvæ in the first stage, might come to differ greatly from the larvæ in the second stage, as is the case with so many animals. The adult might also become fitted for sites or habits, in which the organs of locomotion or of the senses, &c., would be useless; and in this case the final metamorphosis would be said to be retrograde.

From the remarks

just

above

made we can see how by

changes

alterations

of structure in the young, in conformity with

changed

altered

habits of life, together with inheritance at corresponding ages, →the metamorphoses of certain animals might first have been acquired, and subsequently transmitted to numerous modified descendants. ↑ Fritz Müller, who has recently discussed this

~~whole~~

whole

subject with much ability, →goes so far as to

believes

believe

that the progenitor of all insects

~~probably~~

probably

resembled an adult insect, and that the caterpillar or

maggot

maggot,

→and cocoon or pupal stages, have subsequently been acquired; but from this view many naturalists, for instance Sir J. Lubbock, who has likewise recently discussed this subject, would, it is probable, dissent. That certain unusual stages in the metamorphoses of insects have →arisen from

adaptation

adaptations

to peculiar habits of

life,

life

there can

can

hardly be

a doubt:

doubted:

thus the first larval form of a certain beetle, the Sitaris, as described by M. Fabre, is →a minute, active insect, furnished with six legs, two long antennæ, and four eyes. These larvæ are hatched in the

nests

nest

bees;

bee;

and when the male-bees emerge →in the spring from their

burrows

burrows,

which

the

they

→do before the females, the larvæ spring on them, and afterwards →take an early and natural opportunity of crawling on to the female-bees. →When the latter lay their

eggs

eggs,

→one in each cell, on the surface of the

~~contained~~

contained

honey

honey,

→the larva

leap

leaps

on the

eggs

egg

and