Chapter I: Front Matter

ON THE GENESIS OF SPECIES.

ON THE

GENESIS OF SPECIES.

BY ST. GEORGE MIVART, F.R.S.

London: MACMILLAN AND CO. 1871.

[_The Right of Translation and Reproduction is reserved._]

LONDON: R. CLAY, SONS, AND TAYLOR, PRINTERS, BREAD STREET HILL.

* * * * *

TO

SIR HENRY HOLLAND, BART., M.D.,

F.R.S., D.C.L., ETC. ETC.

MY DEAR SIR HENRY,

In giving myself the pleasure to dedicate, as I now do, this work to you, it is not my intention to identify you with any views of my own advocated in it.

I simply avail myself of an opportunity of paying a tribute of esteem and regard to my earliest scientific friend--the first to encourage me in pursuing the study of nature.

I remain,
MY DEAR SIR HENRY,
Ever faithfully yours,
ST. GEORGE MIVART.

7, NORTH BANK, REGENT'S PARK,
_December 8, 1870._

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CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

_INTRODUCTORY_

The problem of the genesis of species stated.--Nature of its probable solution.--Importance of the question.--Position here defended.--Statement of the DARWINIAN THEORY.--Its applicability to details of geographical distribution; to rudimentary structures; to homology; to mimicry, &c.--Consequent utility of the theory.--Its wide acceptance.--Reasons for this other than, and in addition to, its scientific value. Its simplicity.--Its bearing on religious questions.--_Odium theologicum_ and _odium antitheologicum_.--The antagonism supposed by many to exist between it and theology neither necessary nor universal.--Christian authorities in favour of evolution.--Mr. Darwin's "Animals and Plants under Domestication."--Difficulties of the Darwinian theory enumerated ... _Page_ 1

CHAPTER II.

_THE INCOMPETENCY OF "NATURAL SELECTION" TO ACCOUNT FOR THE INCIPIENT STAGES OF USEFUL STRUCTURES._

Mr. Darwin supposes that Natural-Selection acts by slight variations.--These must be useful at once.--Difficulties as to the giraffe; as to mimicry; as to the heads of flat-fishes; as to the origin and constancy of the vertebrate, limbs; as to whalebone; as to the young kangaroo; as to sea-urchins; as to certain processes of {viii} metamorphosis; as to the mammary gland; as to certain ape characters; as to the rattlesnake and cobra; as to the process of formation of the eye and ear; as to the fully developed condition of the eye and ear; as to the voice; as to shell-fish; as to orchids; as to ants.--The necessity for the simultaneous modification of many individuals.--Summary and conclusion ... _Page_ 23

CHAPTER III.

_THE CO-EXISTENCE OF CLOSELY SIMILAR STRUCTURES OF DIVERSE ORIGIN._

Chances against concordant variations.--Examples of discordant ones.--Concordant variations not unlikely on a non-Darwinian evolutionary hypothesis.--Placental and implacental mammals.--Birds and reptiles.--Independent origins of similar sense organs.--The ear.--The eye.--Other coincidences.--Causes besides Natural Selection produce concordant variations in certain geographical regions.--Causes besides Natural Selection produce concordant variations in certain zoological and botanical groups.--There are homologous parts not genetically related.--Harmony in respect of the organic and inorganic worlds.--Summary and conclusion ... _Page_ 63

CHAPTER IV.

_MINUTE AND GRADUAL MODIFICATIONS._

There are difficulties as to minute modifications, even if not fortuitous.--Examples of sudden and considerable modifications of different kinds.--Professor Owen's view.--Mr. Wallace.--Professor Huxley.--Objections to sudden changes.--Labyrinthodont.--Potto.--Cetacea.--As to origin of bird's wing.--Tendrils of climbing plants.--Animals once supposed to be connecting links.--Early specialization of structure.--Macrauchenia.--Glyptodon.--Sabre-toothed tiger.--Conclusion ... _Page_ 97

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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.--Rapidly increasing difficulty of intensifying race characters; alleged causes of this phenomenon; 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 somewhere.--Guinea-pigs.--Summary and conclusion ... _Page_ 113

CHAPTER VI.

_SPECIES AND TIME._

Two relations of species to time.--No evidence of past existence of minutely 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 William Thomson'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 Darwinian evolution.--High organization of Silurian forms of life.--Absence of fossils in oldest rocks.--Summary and conclusion ... _Page_ 128

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 {x} China; to New Zealand and South America; to South America and Tasmania; to South America and Australia.--Pleurodont lizards.--Insectivorous 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_ 144

CHAPTER VIII.

_HOMOLOGIES._

Animals made up of parts mutually related in various ways.--What homology 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 teratology.--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_ 155

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 Selection;" 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{xi} 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. Button's review of Mr. Herbert Spencer.--Anticipatory character of morals.--Sir John Lubbock's explanation.--Summary and conclusion ... _Page_ 188

CHAPTER X.

_PANGENESIS._

A provisional hypothesis supplementing "Natural Selection."--Statement 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 developmental 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_ 208

CHAPTER XI.

_SPECIFIC GENESIS._

Review of the statements and arguments of preceding chapters.--Cumulative 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.--Summary and conclusion ... _Page_ 220 [Page xii]