The Fact and Philosophy of Variation 7 



causes of all this variation are beyond the purposes of the 

 present discussion, but it must be evident, to the reflective 

 mind, that these differences are a means of adapting 

 the innumerable individuals to every little difference or 



FIG. 5. A timothy plant that runs almost wholly to leaf. 



advantage in the environment in which they live. And 

 if the result of variation is better adaption to the physical 

 conditions of life, then the same forces must have been 

 present in the circumstances which determined the birth 

 of the individual. This change in environment may be 



