Charles Darwin and the theory of natural selection / by Edward B. Poulton.

  • Edward Bagnall Poulton
Date:
1896
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Charles Darwin and the theory of natural selection / by Edward B. Poulton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    28 charles darwin. separate islands being rendered extremely rare from the depth of the sea, the direction of the currents, and the absence of gales. In this луау time for specific modification was provided before the parti¬ ally modified form could interbreed Avith the parent species and thus lose its олуп newly - acquired characteristics. Although Darwin made these observations on the Beagle, they required, as Huxley has suggested (Obituary [1888], Darwiniana; Collected Essays, vol. ii., pp. 274-275. London, 1893), careful and systematic working out before they could be trusted as a basis on which to speculate ; and this could not be done until the return home. The following letter Avritten by Darwin to Dr. Otto Zacharias in 1877 confirms this opinion. It was sent to Huxley by Francis Darwin, and is printed in Darwiniana (I. c., p. 275) When I was on board the ' Beagle,' I believed in the permanence of sjjecies, but, as far as I can remember, vague doubts occasionally flitted across my mind. On my return home in the autumn of 1836, I immediately began to prepare my journal for publication, and then saw hoAv many facts indicated the common descent of species, so that in July, 1837, I opened a note-book to record any facts which might bear on the question. But I did not become convinced that species were mutable until I think two or three years had elapsed. It is interesting to note that both the lines of evidence which appealed to Darwin so strongly, point to evolution, but not to any causes of evolution. The majority of mankind were only con-
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