RUDIMENTARY ORGANS. 81 



Readers whose tastes are not materially scientific have doubtless 

 heard much of " missing links " of nature, especially in connection 

 with the gaps which exist between the human territory and ape- 

 land. Indeed, the phrase has come to be understood as applying 

 almost entirely and specifically to the absence of connecting forms 

 between man and the apes forms for which, in one sense, no necessity 

 exists, inasmuch as Mr. Darwin's theory does not demand that the 

 gorilla or any of his compeers should be directly connected with man. 

 The gorilla with his nearest relation lives, so to speak, at the top of 

 his own branch in the great tree of life, whilst man exists at the top 

 of another higher and entirely different bough. The connection 

 between the human and lower types is made theoretically to exist at 

 some lower part of the stem when, from a common ancestor, the 

 human and ape types took divergent roads and ways towards the 

 ranks of nature's aristocracy. 



But although, in some cases, the need for " missing links " is 

 seen, even theoretically, to be non-existent, or at least of a widely 

 different nature from that supposed by the popular mind, there are 

 yet cases in which that need is very apparent, and wherein, 

 through the persistent tracing of the clues nature has afforded, 

 the past history of more than one race of animals and plants has 

 been made plain and apparent. Of such clues which are really 

 mere traces, and nothing more there are no better examples than 

 the curious fragments of structures found in many animals and plants, 

 and named " rudimentary organs." An animal or plant is thus found 

 to possess a mere trace of an organ or part which, so far as the highest 

 exercise of human judgment may decide, is of not the slightest utility 

 to the being. It is invariable in its presence, and as fixed in its 

 uselessness. It bears no relation to the existing life or wants of the 

 animal, but may in some cases as, for example, in a certain 

 little rudimentary pocket in man's digestive system, serving as an 

 inconvenient receptacle for plum-stones and like foreign bodies prove 

 a source of absolute disadvantage or even danger. On what theory 

 can the presence of such organs and parts be accounted for ? is a 

 question of extremely natural kind. The replies at the command of 

 intelligent humanity are but two. Either the animal was created with 

 the useless appendage in question a supposition which includes the 

 idea that Nature, after all, is somewhat of a bungler, and that nothing 

 further or more comprehensible than the fiat " it is so," can be said on 

 the subject. Or, secondly, we x may elect to explain the puzzle by the 

 assertion that the " rudimentary organ " of the existing animal represents 

 a part once fully developed in that animal's remote ancestors, but now 



Dwindled to the shortest span. 

 The rudimentary organ or appendage is regarded by evolution 



G 



