older species, why is not every geological formation charged with such links? Why does not every collection of fossil remains afford plain evidence of the
gradation gradation 1859 1860 1861 1869 1872 | graduation 1866 |
and mutation of the forms of life? Although geological research has undoubtedly revealed the former existence of many links, bringing numerous forms of life much closer together, it does not yield the infinitely many fine
gradations gradations 1861 1869 1872 | graduations 1866 |
between past and present species required on
the the 1869 1872 | my 1861 1866 |
theory; and this is the most obvious
....... 1869 1872 | and forcible 1861 1866 |
of the many objections which may be urged against it. ↑1 blocks not present in 1861 1866 1869 1872; present in 1859 1860 | We meet with no such evidence, and this is the most obvious and forcible of the many objections which may be urged against my theory.
|
Why, again, do whole groups of allied species appear, though
this appearance is this appearance is 1869 1872 |
certainly they 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
often
false, false, 1869 1872 | falsely 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
....... 1869 1872 | appear, 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
to have come in suddenly on the
successive successive 1869 1872 | several 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
geological stages?
Although we now know that organic beings appeared on this globe, at a period incalculably remote, long before the lowest bed Although we now know that organic beings appeared on this globe, at a period incalculably remote, long before the lowest bed 1866 1869 1872 |
Why do we not find great piles of strata beneath the Silurian system, stored with the remains 1859 1860 1861 |
of the
Cambrian system was deposited, why do we not find beneath this system great piles of strata stored with the remains Cambrian system was deposited, why do we not find beneath this system great piles of strata stored with the remains 1869 1872 |
progenitors 1859 1860 1861 |
Silurian system was deposited, why do we not find beneath this system great piles of strata stored with the remains 1866 |
of the
progenitors of the Cambrian progenitors of the Cambrian 1869 1872 |
Silurian groups of 1859 1860 1861 |
progenitors of the Silurian 1866 |
fossils? For
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | certainly 1859 1860 |
on
the the 1869 1872 | my 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
theory, theory, 1872 | theory 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 |
such strata must somewhere have been deposited at these ancient and utterly unknown epochs
of of 1872 | in 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 |
the
world's world's 1859 1860 1861 1866 1872 | worlds 1869 |
history. |
|
I can answer these
questions questions 1859 1860 1861 1869 1872 | question 1866 |
and
....... 1861 1866 1869 1872 | grave 1859 1860 |
objections only on the supposition that the geological record is far more imperfect than most geologists believe.
The number of specimens in all our museums is absolutely as nothing compared with the countless generations of countless species which
have certainly have certainly 1869 1872 | certainly have 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
existed. The
parent-form parent-form 1866 1869 1872 |
parent form of 1861 |
of any of any 1866 1869 1872 | any 1861 |
two or more species would not be in all its characters directly intermediate between its modified offspring, any more than the rock-pigeon is directly intermediate in crop and tail between its
descendants, descendants, 1872 | descendants 1861 1866 1869 |
the pouter and fantail pigeons. We should not be able to recognise a species as the parent of
another and modified another and modified 1869 1872 |
any one or more 1859 1860 |
another 1861 1866 |
species, species, 1869 1872 | species 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
if we were to examine
the the 1872 | them 1859 1860 | both 1861 1866 1869 |
two ever two ever 1872 | ever 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 |
so closely, unless we
....... 1869 1872 | likewise 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
possessed
most most 1869 1872 | many 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
of the intermediate
links; links; 1869 1872 | links 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
and owing to the imperfection of the geological record, we have no just right to and owing to the imperfection of the geological record, we have no just right to 1869 1872 |
between their past or parent and present states; and these many links we could hardly ever 1859 1860 |
between their past and present states; and these many links we could hardly ever 1861 1866 |
expect to
find so many links. find so many links. 1869 1872 |
discover, owing to the imperfection of the geological record. 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
If two or three, or even more linking forms were discovered, they would simply be ranked
by many naturalists as by many naturalists as 1872 |
as 1861 1866 1869 |
so many new species, more especially if found in different geological sub-stages, let their differences be ever so slight. Numerous existing doubtful forms could be named which are probably varieties; but who will pretend that in future ages so many fossil links will be discovered, that naturalists will be able to
decide decide 1866 1869 1872 | decide, 1859 1860 1861 |
whether or not whether or not 1869 1872 |
on the common view, whether or not 1859 1860 1861 |
whether or not on the common view 1866 |
these doubtful forms
ought to be called ought to be called 1869 1872 |
are 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
varieties?
Only a small portion of the world has been
geologically geologically 1859 1860 1861 1869 1872 | geological 1866 |
explored. Only organic beings of certain classes can be preserved in a fossil condition, at least in any great number. Many species when once formed never undergo any further
change change 1869 1872 | change, 1866 |
but become extinct
|