324 DARWINISM STATED BY DARWIN HIMSELF. 



ent beings, each supposed to have been separately created 

 for its proper place in nature, be so commonly linked to- 

 gether by graduated steps ? Why should not Nature take 

 a sudden leap from structure to structure ? On the the- 

 ory of natural selection, -we can clearly understand why 

 she should not ; for natural selection acts only by taking 

 advantage of slight successive variations ; she can never 

 take a great and sudden leap, but must advance by short 

 and sure though slow steps. 



IMPERFECT CONTRIVANCES OF NATURE ACCOUNTED FOR. 



_ If our reason leads us to admire with en- 



Page 163. 



thusiasm a multitude of inimitable contriv- 

 ances in nature, this same reason tells us, though we may 

 easily err on both sides, that some other contrivances are 

 less perfect. Can we consider the sting of the bee as per- 

 fect, which, when used against many kinds of enemies, 

 can not be withdrawn, owing to the backward serratures, 

 and thus inevitably causes the death of the insect by tear- 

 ing out its viscera ? 



If we look at the sting of the bee, as having existed in 

 a remote progenitor as a boring and serrated instrument 

 like that in so many members of the same great order, 

 and that it has since been modified but not perfected for 

 its present purpose with the poison originally adapted 

 for some other object, such as to produce galls, since inten- 

 sified, we can perhaps understand how it is that the use of 

 the sting should so often cause the insect's own death : 

 for, if on the whole the power of stinging be useful to 

 the social community, it will fulfill all the requirements 

 of natural selection, though it may cause the death of 

 some few members. If we admire the truly wonderful 

 power of scent by which the males of many insects find 



