15() SPECIES NOT 



some retaining, and some losing, their rodent 

 character; while others, as may be seen, varv 

 still more, and have bat-like membranes stretching 

 between their hind and fore legs, constituting the 

 Galeopithecus, or flying lemur, and so on. 



Now all this would be very ingenious and 

 clever. It, unfortunately, has neither proof nor 

 probability to recommend it, inasmuch as the 

 organs, which would be supposed to be thus trans- 

 formed by the necessities of the animal, are highly 

 complex, and as unchangeable as is gold into silver. 

 Hearing and intelligence are not acquirable bv 

 variation. They depend upon an acoustic instru- 

 ment, perfect in each animal in itself, and upon 

 a brain, the four great types of which, as shewn 

 by Owen, are fixed and immutable structures. 



Mr. Darwin objects to the protest of naturalists, 

 who "believe that very many structures have been 

 created for beauty in the eyes of man, or for 

 mere variety." This doctrine, if true, would, 

 Mr. D. says, be absolutely fatal to his theory, but 

 he asserts at the same time that many structures 

 are of no direct use to their possessors! and his 

 argument why the above would be fatal, is that 

 the "chief part of the organization of every being 

 is simply due to inheritance; and consequently, 

 though each being assuredly is well fitted for its 

 place in nature, many structures have now no 

 direct relation to the habits of life of each species." 

 -(Page 199.) 



This strangest of doctrines is supported by still 

 stranger arguments. 



