442 RUDIMENTARY, ATROPHIED, 



adjoining parts, than in the adult; so that the organ at 

 this early age is less rudimentary, or even cannot be said 

 to be in any degree rudimentary. Hence rudimentary organs 

 in the adult are often said to have retained their embryonic 

 condition. 



I have now given the leading facts with respect to rudi- 

 mentary organs. In reflecting on them, every one must be 

 struck with astonishment ; for the same reasoning power 

 which tells us that most parts and organs are exquisitely 

 adapted for certain purposes, tells us with equal plainness 

 that these rudimentary or atrophied organs are imperfect 

 and useless. In works on natural history, rudimentary 

 organs are generally said to have been created "for the 

 sake of symmetry," or in order " to complete the scheme 

 of nature." But this is not an explanation, merely a re- 

 statement of the fact. Nor is it consistent with itself : 

 thus the boa-constrictor has rudiments of hind limbs and 

 of a pelvis, and if it be said that these bones have been re- 

 tained " to complete the scheme of nature," why, as Pro- 

 fessor Weismann asks, have they not been retained by other 

 snakes, which do not possess even a vestige of these same 

 bones ? What would be thought of an astronomer who 

 maintained that the satellites revolve in elliptic courses 

 round their planets "for the sake of symmetry," because 

 the planets thus revolve round the sun ? An eminent 

 physiologist accounts for the presence of rudimentary 

 organs, by supposing that they serve to excrete matter in 

 excess, or matter injurious to the system ; but can we sup- 

 pose that the minute papilla, which often represents the 

 pistil in male flowers, and which is formed of mere cellular 

 tissue, can thus act ? Can we suppose that rudimentary 

 teeth, which are subsequently absorbed, are beneficial to 

 the rapidly growing embryonic calf by removing matter so 

 precious as phosphate of lime ? When a man's fingers have 

 been amputated, imperfect nails have been known to appear 

 on the stumps, and I could as soon believe that these 

 vestiges of nails are developed in order to excrete horny 

 matter, as that the rudimentary nails on the fin of the 

 manatee have been developed for this same purpose. 



On the view of descent with modification, the origin of 

 rudimentary organs is comparatively simple ; and we can 

 understand to a large extent the laws governing theii 

 imperfect development. We have plenty of cases of rudi- 

 mentary organs in our domestic productions, as the stump 



