220 ORGANIC EVOLUTION CONSIDERED 



creased. The shark produces but few eggs, but on 

 account of their structure they are well protected. 



So throughout the animal kingdom we see that by a 

 great multitude of eggs, or by peculiar structure, or 

 by special means of preservation it is made certain 

 that each species will propagate its kind. That these 

 many adaptations are necessary for the preservation 

 of species is evident, but we know nothing as to how 

 they have originated. 



There is no assurance in nature that if an animal 

 lays fewer eggs, therefore they will be better pro- 

 tected; nor, on the other hand, that, if the eggs are 

 better protected, therefore fewer will be produced. 



The number of eggs and the degree of protection 

 do not stand related to each other as cause and effect ; 

 they must, therefore, if they were evolved, have orig- 

 inated in all cases by chance — the number of such 

 instances being equal to the number of species of ani- 

 mals. This leads me to emphasize my belief again 

 that the wholesale origin of adaptations in nature, 

 where there is no relation of cause and effect between 

 the things that are adapted to each other — which is 

 generally the case — could not have been brought 

 about by chance. 



The "Water Spider presents difficulties to the theory 

 of natural selection that I will notice. In this animal 

 changes of structure and instinct are implied which I 

 think cannot be explained by natural selection. 

 Spiders are air-breathing animals which live habitu- 

 ally in the air. The Water Spider is also an air- 

 breather, but it lives habitually under the water. A 

 short distance under the surface of the water it spins 

 an egg-shaped cell with an opening underneath 

 through which it can pass. This cell is securely 

 attached to some object so that it will remain sub- 

 merged. The body of this spider is covered with 



