TRUE DARWINISM 173 



they have become, often completely ousting some of the native 

 plants ; such are watercress and Dutch clover in New Zealand. 



In various ways, therefore, the " struggle for existence " 

 takes place, with " the survival of the strongest or fittest " as 

 the case may be. 



But in no case has it anything to do with any supposed 

 " selection " out of many indefinite variations of structure, as 

 Darwinians say, with the end of establishing a new variety or 

 species. 



As an illustration of the misuse of the term, I will quote 

 the following passage : — 



" The general effect of natural selection, at least as regards 

 higher animals, is to produce in the individual organism the 

 power of varying proportionately . . . in response to stimulation, 

 etc"'' 



Read the words I have italicised and the absurdity comes 

 out, for variability, or " the power of varying " is an inherent 

 property of organisms. 



It is the changed conditions of life which call variability 

 into action. 



^ The Present Evolution of Man, by G. A. Reid, p. 116. 



