The Making of Species 



made in the speculative process as indisputable 

 facts." 



The result of this is that men have ceased to 

 regard the Neo- Darwinian l theories of protective 

 colouration, mimicry, and recognition markings 

 as mere hypotheses which seem to throw light on 

 certain phenomena in the organic world. These 

 theories have assumed the rank of laws of nature. 

 To dispute them would seem to be as futile as 

 to assert that the earth is flat. To take exception 

 to them would appear to be as ridiculous as to 

 object to Mont Blanc. To dare to criticise them 

 is heresy of the worst type. 



Be this as it may, scientific dogma or no 

 scientific dogma, scientific opinion or no scientific 

 opinion, we have dared to weigh these theories 

 in the balance of observation and reason, and have 

 found them wanting. We have examined these 

 mighty images of gold, and silver, and brass, and 

 iron, and found that there is much clay in the 

 feet. 



We shall devote this chapter to lifting the 

 hem of the garment of sanctity that envelopes 

 each of these images, and so expose to view the 

 clay that lies concealed. 



We propose, first, to set forth in outline what 



1 In this chapter we use the word Neo-Darwinism in its usually- 

 accepted sense, i.e. as a name for that which should be called 

 Wallaceism, for the doctrine of the all-sufficiency of natural 

 selection. 



172 



