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amphibions age leading to the birds; and all the remain- 

 ing ages of evolution preached in Darwin's theory of 

 natural organic selection, right up to earth-walking quad- 

 rupeds. 



The work of founding and elaborating his theory of 

 natural selection must have proved no easy task to the 

 English savant. I remember one little episode in his la- 

 bours which occurred at the time when he had prose- 

 cuted his pursuit of the evolution of species to the step 

 between the amphibious creatures and the birds. The 

 passage from the one to the other class was clear to 

 him, but in his zoological collection he had no example 

 of visible transition state between the leaping amphibia 

 and birds of flight. For many years the scientist remain- 

 ed worried by this missing link, though all his best 

 friends were scouring the earth to find it. But on a cer- 

 tain happy day one of his colleagues in this search, 

 working in S. America, reported the discovery of a 

 ftying lizard. Of course this priceless specimen was pla- 

 ced without delay in Darwin's English collection, and the 

 great scientist long rejoiced over his treasure with chil- 

 dish glee. 



And now I clearly see the position of the moon with 

 its surface of water and mountain peaks. To plant vege- 

 tation on these peaks it was necessary to fly up from 

 below, and such flight only the winged birds can accom- 

 plish. Flying up they sit upon the lofty mountain tops, 

 carrying their prey thither, and with it vegetable seeds 

 which, nursed by the vapours and the mists, fertilize, 

 and extend their roots into the rocks and roll their fruits 

 into the valley. 



The spectrum of the electric lamp and the spectrum 

 of the moon must be identical. 



The natural effort of every planet is to become a 

 double star and afterwards a sun, and this transition 

 occurs in the case of solar planets quite simply. The 

 more energetic, travelling in their orbit overtake the 

 ieebler and unite with them, if no natural obstacle pre- 



