On the Genesis of Species

the Genesis of Species, by St. George Mivart

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Title: On the Genesis of Species
Author: St. George Mivart
Release Date: March 14, 2007 [EBook #20818]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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ON THE GENESIS OF SPECIES.
[Illustration]
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.
{vii} * * * * *
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
{ix}
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