276 



pcarcd in 1875, a tliick volume on In- 

 sectivorous Plants in the same year; 

 Cross and Self -Fertilization in 1 876; the 

 Forms of Flowers in 1877, the Move- 

 ments of Plants in 1880, and his re- 

 markable little book on Earthworjns in 

 1881. This last work is highly charac- 

 teristic of the author. For more than 

 forty years this subject was kept in 

 view, experiments were made, in one 

 case invoking the keeping of a field 

 untouched for thirty years. 



None but the greatest geologists 

 have produced more instructive works 

 than the two volumes of Geological 

 Observations, and the profound and 

 original essay "On the Structure and 

 Distribution of Coral Reefs"; the most 

 distinguished zoologists and anato- 

 mists might be proud of the elaborate 

 "Monograph of the Cirripedia." Yet 

 these works, great as is each of them 

 separately, and taken together, amazing 

 as the production of one man, sink into 

 insignificance as compared with the 

 vast body of research and of thought 



Evolution 



of which the Origin of Species is the 

 brief epitome, and with which alone 

 the name of Darwin is associated bv the 

 mass of educated men. 



So long as men believed that every 

 species was the immediate handiwork 

 of the Creator, and was therefore abso- 

 lutely perfect, they remained altogether 

 blind to the meaning of the countless 

 variations and adaptations of the parts 

 and organs of plants and animals. They 

 were content to pass over whole classes 

 of facts as inexplicable, and to ignore 

 countless details of structure under 

 vague notions of a general plan, or of 

 variety and beauty being ends in them- 

 selves; while he whose teachings were 

 at first stigmatised as degrading or 

 even atheistical, was enabled to bring 

 to light innumerable hidden adapta- 

 tions, and to prove that the most insig- 

 nificant parts of the meanest living 

 things had a use and a purpose, were 

 worthy of our earnest study, and fitted 

 to excite our highest and most intelli- 

 gent admiration. 



QUESTIONS 



1. What was the feeling of most of the 

 scientists in regard to the doctrine of 

 special creation in the years preced- 

 ing Darwin's work? 



2. What seemed to be the main occupa- 

 tion of scientists before Darwin's 

 time? 



3. How did Darwin's Origin of Species 

 change their habits of thought and 

 work? 



4. For about how many years did Dar- 

 win work on his theory of evolution 

 before publishing it? 



5. What principle did Darwin formu- 



late to explain the appearance of 

 stripes on mules? 



6. Give an example of the effect of the 

 use and disuse principle. 



7. Discuss the problem of adaptation in 

 the orchids. 



8. What seems to be the main reason 

 why certain plants and animals are 

 associated together? 



9. What was Darwin's main concern in 

 regard to Oceanic Islands? What was 

 his answer to the problem? 



10. Give the title of three works of Dar- 

 win other than the Origin of Species. 



