138 THE METHOD OF DARWIN. 



directly across this great bank; and I hear 

 from Captain Moresby that this is the case." 1 

 The causal relation between currents of water 

 and linear parallel islets was known to him; 

 from this law and the particular arrangement 

 of the banks he deduced the existence of cur- 

 rents, and verified the anticipation. 



Some of these instances are so simple as 

 almost to require apology for their insertion ; 

 but their very simplicity makes them typical 

 of the most common of the logical processes. 

 The variety of consequences to be deduced 

 from principles or laws is so great, that induc- 

 tions by which those laws or principles are 

 reached are few compared with the deductions 

 by which their consequences are developed. 



Darwin's studies of the fertilization of flowers 

 are full of examples of deduction and verifica- 

 tion ; and some of these are very curious. The 

 principle of advantage from cross-fertilization 

 lay at the root of these deductions; and it was 

 by incessant application of it that he was able 

 to interpret the most complex arrangements in 

 orchidaceous flowers. He studied the structure 

 of Listeraovata, and experimented on the action 

 of its parts, until he felt sure that he under- 

 stood the manner in which insects enter the 



1 Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs, p. 150. 



