&quot; THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES: 1 79 



also in the spontaneous origination of peculiarities that cannot 

 be traced to the influence of those circumstances. 



He had discussed numerous cases of variation among 

 domesticated animals, and advocated especially the descent 

 of the dog from the wolf; replying to the objection that 

 the wolf docs not exhibit a disposition to attach itself to 

 man, in these terms : 



It Ins been proved that the wolf is mnrh more capable of 

 domestication than is commonly supposed ; if taken young from 

 its wild state, and brought under the influence of man; and that 

 it then displays as much attachment to its master, and remem 

 brance of kindness shown it, as any dog could do. So that 

 there is no difficulty in understanding how, by a continuance of 

 this influence through successive generations, the character of 

 the race may become so permanently changed that the traces 

 of former domestication may not be altogether lost, even in 

 breeds which have returned to their wild state for centuries. 

 There is no reason why the psychical character of a peculiar 

 aptitude for domestication should not manifest itself as the 

 special feature of a variety, like any physical character, such as 

 the remarkable conformation of the otter breed of sheep ; or 

 why, to put the matter in a still more definite form, the first 

 manifestation of the variability of the species of wolf should not 

 be the production of a race disposed to attach itself to man, 

 from which race, under the continued influence of domestica 

 tion, an almost infinite variety of new breeds has arisen, differing 

 in the number of the vertebrae in their tails, in that of their 

 toes, and even in that of their molar teeth. These List de 

 partures from the ordinary type exist, not merely in particular 

 races most remote from it, but also within the limits of single 

 varieties or breeds, just like the occasional appearance of six- 

 fingered races among various nations of men. They cannot, 

 therefore, be admitted as specific differences ; and they serve to 

 show how very wide are the limits of variation in ti is species. 



The researches into the Foraminifcra, in which Dr. 

 Carpenter had been subsequently engaged, had led him 



