CHAPTER V.

AS TO SPECIFIC STABILITY.

What is meant by the phrase "specific stability;" such stability to be

expected a priori, or else considerable changes at once. -Increasing

difficulty of intensifying race characters; alleged causes of this pheno-

menon; probably an internal cause co-operates.-A certain definiteness

in variations. Mr. Darwin admits the principle of specific stability in

certain cases of unequal variability. The goose.—The peacock.—The

guinea-fowl.-Exceptional causes of variation under domestication.—

Alleged tendency to reversion.-Instances.-Sterility of hybrids.

Prepotency of pollen of same species, but of different race.-Mortality

in young gallinaceous hybrids.-A bar to intermixture exists some-

where.---Guinea-pigs.--Summary and conclusion
Page 127

CHAPTER VI.

SPECIES AND TIME.

Two relations of species to time. -No evidence of past existence of minutely

graduated intermediate forms when such might be expected a priori.—

Bats, Pterodactyles, Dinosauria, and Birds.-Ichthyosauria, Chelonia,

and Anoura. —Horse ancestry.-Labyrinthodonts and Trilobites.-Two

subdivisions of the second relation of species to time.-Sir Wm. Thom-

son's views. Probable period required for ultimate specific evolution

from primitive ancestral forms.—Geometrical increase of time required

for rapidly multiplying increase of structural differences.-Proboscis

monkey.-Time required for deposition of strata necessary for Dar-

winian evolution.--High organization of Silurian forms of life. -

Absence of fossils in oldest rocks.—Summary and conclusion.

Page 145

CHAPTER VII.

SPECIES AND SPACE.

The geographical distribution of animals presents difficulties.-These not

insurmountable in themselves; harmonize with other difficulties.—

Fresh-water fishes.-Forms common to Africa and India; to Africa and

South America; to China and Australia; to North America and China;

to New Zealand and South America; to South America and Tas-

mania; to South America and Australia.-Pleurodont lizards.-Insec-

tivorous mammals. —Similarity of European and South American frogs.

-Analogy between European salmon and fishes of New Zealand, &c.—

An ancient Antarctic continent probable.-Other modes of accounting

for facts of distribution.-Independent origin of closely similar forms.

-Conclusion

Page 163

CHAPTER VIII.

HOMOLOGIES

Animals made up of parts mutually related in various ways.-What homo-

logy is Its various kinds.-Serial homology.-Lateral homology.—

Vertical homology.-Mr. Herbert Spencer's explanations.-An internal

power necessary, as shown by facts of comparative anatomy.—Of ter-

atology.-M. St. Hilaire.-Professor Burt Wilder.-Foot-wings.-Facts

of pathology.—Mr. James Paget.-Dr. William Budd.—The existence

of such an internal power of individual development diminishes the

improbability of an analogous law of specific origination Page 175

CHAPTER IX.

EVOLUTION AND ETHICS.

The origin of morals an inquiry not foreign to the subject of this book.—

Modern utilitarian view as to that origin.—Mr. Darwin's speculation

as to the origin of the abhorrence of incest.-Cause assigned by him

insufficient.-Care of the aged and infirm opposed by "Natural Selec-

tion;" also self-abnegation and asceticism.--Distinctness of the ideas

"right" and "useful."-Mr. John Stuart Mill.-Insufficiency of

"Natural Selection" to account for the origin of the distinction

between duty and profit.-Distinction of moral acts into "material"

and “formal.”—No ground for believing that formal morality exists in

brutes.-Evidence that it does exist in savages.-Facility with which

savages may be misunderstood.-Objections as to diversity of customs.-

Mr. Hutton's review of Mr. Herbert Spencer.-Anticipatory character of

morals.-Sir John Lubbock's explanation.-Summary and conclusion.

Page 211

CHAPTER X.

PANGENES 1 S.

A "provisional hypothesis" supplementing "Natural Selection."-State-

ment of the hypothesis. - Difficulty as to multitude of gemmules; as to

certain modes of reproduction; as to formations without the requisite

gemmules. Mr. Lewes and Professor Delpino.-Difficulty as to de-

velopmental force of gemmules; as to their spontaneous fission.—

Pangenesis and Vitalism.-Paradoxical reality.-Pangenesis scarcely

superior to anterior hypotheses.-Buffon.-Owen.-Herbert Spencer.

-Gemmules as mysterious as "physiological units."-Conclusion.

Page 237

CHAPTER XI.

SPECIFIC GENESIS.

Review of the statements and arguments of preceding chapters.—Cumu-

lative argument against predominant action of "Natural Selection."-

Whether anything positive as well as negative can be enunciated. -

Constancy of laws of nature does not necessarily imply constancy of

specific evolution.-Possible exceptional stability of existing epoch.

Probability that an internal cause of change exists.-Innate powers

somewhere must be accepted.-Symbolism of molecular action under

vibrating impulses.-Professor Owen's statement.-Statement of the

author's view-It avoids the difficulties which oppose "Natural

Selection "It harmonizes apparently conflicting conceptions. —Sum-

mary and conclusion .
Page 251

INDEX

CHAPTER XII.

THEOLOGY AND EVOLUTION.

66

Prejudices on the subject.-"Creation" sometimes denied from prejudice.

-The unknowable.--Mr. Herbert Spencer's objections to theism; to

creation.Meanings of term "creation.”—Confusion from not dis-

tinguishing between “ 'primary' and derivative creation. Mr.

Darwin's objections.—Bearing of Christianity on evolution.—Supposed

opposition, the result of a misconception.-Theological authority not

opposed to evolution.-St. Augustin.—St. Thomas Aquinas.—Certain

consequences of want of flexibility of mind.-Reason and imagination.

-The first cause and demonstration.-Parallel between Christianity

and natural theology. What evolution of species is. — Professor

Agassiz.-Innate powers must be recognized. - Bearing of evolution on

religious belief.-Professor Huxley.-Professor Owen.—Mr. Wallace.-

Mr. Darwin.-A priori conception of Divine action.-Origin of man.—

Absolute creation and dogma.-Mr. Wallace's view.-A supernatural

origin for man's body not necessary.-Two orders of being in man.-

Two modes of origin.--Harmony of the physical, hyperphysical, and

supernatural.—Reconciliation of science and religion as regards evolu-

tion. Conclusion.

Page 279

Page 335

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Leaf Butterfly in flight and repose (from Mr. A. Wallace's "Malay
Archipelago")

Walking-Leaf Insect

Pleuronectidæ, with the peculiarly placed eye in different positions
(from Dr. Traquair's paper in Linn. Soc. Trans., 1865)
Mouth of Whale (from Professor Owen's "Odontography")

Four plates of Baleen seen obliquely from within (from Professor
Owen's "Odontography")

Dugong

Echinus, or Sea Urchin

Pedicellariæ of Echinus very much enlarged

Rattlesnake

...

PAGE

42, 187

45

Cobra (from Sir Andrew Smith's “Southern Africa”)

Wingbones of Pterodactyle, Bat, and Bird (from Mr. Andrew Murray's "Geographical Distribution of Mammals") 72, 147, 177

Skeleton of Flying-Dragon

Centipede (from

73, 178 specimen in the Museum of the Royal College of

75, 179 77

Surgeons)

Teeth of Urotrichus and Perameles

The Archeopteryx (from Professor Owen's "Anatomy of Verte

brata")

35 40

46

47, 197

49, 188

50

56

57

82, 149