Darwinism and Deity. 37 



the weaker leave no offspring. Hence there is a tend- 

 ency to produce a race of strong active males. 



In other races, particularly among birds, the female 

 makes her selection. One species is carried away by 

 song. The males exercise all their vocal powers, and 

 the sweetest singer carries away the prize. Another 

 species is attracted by brilliant plumage; and here the 

 lucky male endowed with the brightest feathers succeeds. 

 This course of selection tends in the long lapse of ages 

 to increase the musical power in the one species, and the 

 brilliancy of plumage in the other. 



However minute any single variation from existing 

 types might be, it is said that give time enough, time 

 without stint, time without limit, these processes of 

 natural selection, together with the changes of climate 

 and surface, would be sufficient to account for the pro- 

 duction of the various diversified forms of life which 

 have appeared since the first were brought into being. 



But not only might new forms of life be so produced. 

 It is further said, there are reasons for believing they 

 have been actually so produced. 



The fact that new breeds, that new temporary varieties 

 are produced in a short time by superintending human 

 care, raises the presumption that permanent changes of 

 structure, that is, new species, would be produced by 

 natural causes, operating for an indefinite duration in a 

 way analogous to human care. 



Some facts strengthen this presumption. For in- 

 stance: pigs in Florida feed on an herb which rots off 

 the hoofs of all but black pigs. This cause has not 

 been operating long enough to prevent the birth of light 

 or party-colored pigs; but it prevents any but the black 



