CHAPTER II 



SOME OF THE MORE IMPORTANT OBJECTIONS TO 

 THE THEORY OF NATURAL SELECTION 



Brief statement of Theory Objections to the Theory fall into two 

 classes Those which strike at the root of the Theory Those 

 which deny the all-sufficiency of Natural Selection Objec- 

 tions which strike at root of Theory are based on mis- 

 conception Objections to Wallaceism The Theory fails 

 to explain the origin of Variations Natural Selection called 

 on to explain too much Unable to explain beginnings of 

 new organs The Theory of change of function The co- 

 ordination of variations The fertility of races of domesticated 

 animals Missing links Swamping effects of intercrossing 

 Small variations cannot have a survival value Races 

 inhabiting same area Excessive specialisation Chance and 

 Natural Selection Struggle for existence most severe among 

 young animals Natural Selection fails to explain mimicry 

 and other phenomena of colour Conclusion, that scarcely 

 an organism exists which does not possess some feature 

 inexplicable on the theory of Natural Selection as held by 

 Wallace and his followers. 



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HE burden of proof is on him who 

 asserts " is a rule of evidence 

 which the man of science should 

 apply as rigidly as does the lawyer. 

 It is therefore incumbent upon us to prove our 

 assertion that the theory of natural selection 

 does not afford an adequate explanation of all 

 the varied phenomena observed in the organic 

 world. 



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