The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online

RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1857.02.07. [Note on Law of compensation]. CUL-DAR205.1.67. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 8.2021. RN1

NOTE: The brown crayon number '10' indicates that this document was filed by Darwin in his portfolio for the subject of Rudimentary & abortive organs.

Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volume CUL-DAR205.1 contains notes on rudimentary organs.

[67]

As law of compensation probably acts at early age, & wd act chiefly through some other organs having been formed first & so drawing away nutriment, I shd expect we shd have most rudimentary organs in later-formed organs – (if formed very early it wd utterly disappear) now most of commonest cases as mammæ, teeth are late formed – How are lungs of Birds? & of snakes. Is there any case of rudiment of very early formed organ – said to be no Fish with rudimentary air bladder – when formed? Feb 7 / 57/

Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)