THE THEORY OF NATURAL SELECTION 



(CONTINUED). 



HAVING now given the briefest possible sketch of the 

 Theory of Natural Selection, as expounded by Mr Darwin, 

 it may be well to notice, with equal brevity, the leading 

 objections which have been urged against this theory by 

 various naturalists, and notably by Mr Mivart.* It may 

 also be as well to enumerate shortly the chief general 

 grounds upon which naturalists base the now generally 

 accepted belief that species have been produced from pre- 

 existing species by the action of some law of evolution, 

 apart from the question of the method or methods in 

 which this law operates. 



Numerous difficulties admittedly have to be met, if we 

 attempt to apply the theory of natural selection (even 

 when combined with what Darwin has called 'sexual 

 selection') as the sole principle involved in the production 

 of 'species.' Many of these difficulties are of a special 

 nature, affecting special cases only, and they need no dis- 

 cussion here. It is possible that many of these special 



* The Genesis of Species, by St George Mivart, 1871. 



