810 THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES 



eut variations will be in all directions^ they must tend to 

 neutralize each other, and at first to form such unstable 

 modifications that it is difficult, if not impossible, to see 

 how such indefinite oscillations of infinitesimal beginnings 

 can ever build up a sufficiently appreciable resemblance 

 to a leaf, bamboo, or other object, for Natural Selection 

 to seize upon and perpetuate." 



But in all the foregoing cases the insects in their 

 original state no doubt presented some rude and acci- 

 dental resemblance to an object commonly found in the 

 stations frequented by them. Nor is this at all improba- 

 ble, considering the almost infinite number of surrounding 

 objects and the diversity in form and color of the hosts 

 of insects which exist. As some rude resemblance is 

 necessary for the first start, we can understand how it 

 is that the larger and higher animals do not (with the 

 exception, as far as I know, of one fish) resemble for 

 the sake of protection special objects, but only the sur- 

 face which commonly surrounds them, and this chiefly 

 in color. Assuming that an insect originally happened to 

 resemble in some degree a dead twig or a decayed leaf, 

 and that it varied slightly in many ways, then all the 

 variations which rendered the insect at all more like any 

 such object, and thus favored its escape, would be pre- 

 served, while other variations would be neglected and 

 ultimately lost; or, if they rendered the insect at all less 

 like the imitated object, they would be eliminated. There 

 would indeed be force in Mr. Mivart's objection, if we 

 were to attempt to account for the above resemblances, 

 independently of natural selection, through mere fluctuat- 

 ing variability; but as the case stands there is none. 



Nor can I see any force in Mr. Mivart's difficulty 



