J.7-1 LESSONS FROM NATURE. [CHAP. VI. 



taken into account, the cross relations and Intel-dependencies 

 become in the highest degree complex and difficult to 

 unravel. 



This has been more or less generally recognised ; but it 

 has been distinctly put forward by Mr. Darwin, and \\ideJy 

 accepted, that the resemblances between man and apes are 

 such that man may be conceived to have descended from 

 some ancient members of the broad-breastboned group of 

 apes, and the gorilla is still popularly credited with the 

 closest relationship to him which is to be found in all existing 

 apes. 



As to the latter opinion, evidence has elsewhere been 

 adduced* to show that it is quite untenable. 



As to Mr. Darwin s proposition, much remains to be said. 

 But it is certainly true that, on the whole, the anatomical 

 characters of man s body have much more resemblance to 

 those common to the latisternal group than to those presented 

 by any other section of the order Primates. 



But, in the first place, we should consider what evidence of 

 common origin does community of structure afford ? 



The human structural characters are shared by so many 

 and such diverse forms, that it is impossible to arrange even 

 groups of genera in a single ascending series from the 

 aye-aye to man (to say nothing of so arranging the several 

 single genera), if all the structural resemblances are taken 

 into account. 



On any conceivable hypothesis there are many similar 

 structures, each of which must be deemed to have been inde 

 pendently evolved in more than one instance. 



If the number of wrist-bones be deemed a special mark of 

 affinity between the gorilla, chimpanzee, and man, why are 

 we not to consider it also a special mark of affinity between 

 the indris and man ? That it should be so considered, how 

 ever, would be deemed an absurdity by every evolutionist. 



If the proportions of the arms speak in favour of the chirn- 



Sce Man and Apes: Hardwicke, 1873. 



