Origin of Species Variorum

Utilitarian Doctrine how far true: Beauty how acquired. ..

The foregoing remarks lead me to say a few words on the protest lately made by some naturalists, against the utilitarian doctrine that every detail of structure has been produced for the good of its possessor. They believe that .. many structures have been created for beauty in the eyes of man, or, as already discussed, for the sake of mere variety. Such doctrines, if true, would be absolutely fatal to my theory. Yet I fully admit that many structures are now of no direct use to their possessors, and may never have been of any use to their progenitors. No doubt, as recently remarked, the definite action of changed conditions, correlated variation, and reversion have all produced their effects. But the most important consideration is that the chief part of the organisation of every living creature is simply due to inheritance; and consequently, though each assuredly is well fitted for its place in nature, many structures now have no direct relation to existing habits of life. ↑ ↑ Thus, we can hardly believe that the webbed feet of the upland goose or of the frigate-bird are of special use to these birds; we cannot believe that the similar bones in the arm of the monkey, in the fore-leg of the horse, in the wing of the bat, and in the flipper of the seal, are of special use to these animals. We may safely attribute these structures to inheritance. But to the progenitor of the upland goose and of the frigate-bird, webbed feet no doubt were as useful as they now are to the most aquatic of living birds. So we may believe that the progenitor of the seal did not possess a flipper, but a foot with five toes fitted for walking or grasping; and we may further venture to believe that the several bones in the limbs of the monkey, horse, and bat, which have been in- herited from some ancient progenitor, were formerly