144 DARWINISM STATED BY DARWm HIMSELF. 



the sake of symmetry," because the planets thus revolre 

 round the sun ? An eminent physiologist accounts for 

 the presence of rudimentary organs, by supposing that 

 they serve to excrete matter in excess, or matter injurious 

 to the system ; but can we suppose that the minute pa- 

 pilla, which often represents the pistil in male flowers, 

 and which is formed of mere cellular tissue, can thus act ? 

 Can we suppose that rudimentary teeth, which are subse- 

 quently absorbed, are beneficial to the rapidly growing 

 embryonic calf by remoTing matter so precious as phos- 

 phate of lime ? When a man's fingers have been ampu- 

 tated, imperfect nails have been known to appear on the 

 stumps, and I could as soon believe that these vestiges of 

 nails are developed in order to excrete homy matter, as 

 that the rudimentary nails on the fin of the manatee have 

 been developed for this same purpose. ' 



On the view of descent with modification, the origin 

 of rudimentary organs is comparatively simple ; and we 

 can understand to a large extent the laws governing their 

 imperfect development. 



THE HISTOEY OF LIFE ON THE THEOKY OF DESCENT 

 WITH MODIFICATION. 



Origin of Organs in j^rndiment ary condition plain ly 



Species, s how that an eaiiy_prqgenitoEJtia4,thej^ 

 ^"^^ ■ in a Jull^e veloped condition ; and this in 

 some cases implies an enormous amount of modification 

 in the descendants. Throughout whole classes various 

 structures are formed on the same pattern, and at a very 

 early age the embryos closely resemble each other. There; 

 fore I jsaanot doubt that the theory of descent with modi- 

 fication embraces all the members of the sameTgreat class 

 or kingdom. I believe that animaTF are descendCTlffom 



