Teleology and Adaptation 273 
natural history had been excited in the University by Dr Paley’s very 
interesting work on Natural Theology, and the very popular lectures 
of Dr Kidd on Comparative Anatomy, and Dr Buckland on Geology.” 
In the arrangement of the contents of the Museum the illustration of 
Paley’s work was given the foremost place by J. S. Duncan: “The 
first division proposes to familiarize the eye to those relations of all 
natural objects which form the basis of argument in Dr Paley’s 
Natural Theology ; to induce a mental habit of associating the view 
of natural phenomena with the conviction that they are the media of 
Divine manifestation ; and by such association to give proper dignity 
to every branch of natural science?.” 
The great naturalist, W. J. Burchell, in his classical work shows 
the same recognition of adaptation in nature at a still earlier date. 
Upon the subject of collections he wrote”: “It must not be supposed 
that these charms [the pleasures of Nature] are produced by the mere 
discovery of new objects: it is the harmony with which they have 
been adapted by the Creator to each other, and to the situations in 
which they are found, which delights the observer in countries where 
Art has not yet introduced her discords.” The remainder of the 
passage is so admirable that I venture to quote it: “To him who is 
satisfied with amassing collections of curious objects, simply for the 
pleasure of possessing them, such objects can afford, at best, but a 
childish gratification, faint and fleeting ; while he who extends his 
view beyond the narrow field of nomenclature, beholds a boundless 
expanse, the exploring of which is worthy of the philosopher, and of 
the best talents of a reasonable being.” 
On September 14, 1811, Burchell was at Zand Valley (Vlei), or 
Sand Pool, a few miles south-west of the site of Prieska, on the Orange 
River. Here he found a Mesembryanthemum (M. turbiniforme, now 
HM. trumcatum) and also a “Gryllus” (Acridian), closely resembling the 
pebbles with which their locality was strewn. He says of both of 
these, “The intention of Nature, in these instances, seems to have 
been the same as when she gave to the Chameleon the power of 
accommodating its color, in a certain degree, to that of the object 
nearest to it, in order to compensate for the deficiency of its 
locomotive powers. By their form and color, this insect may pass 
unobserved by those birds, which otherwise would soon extirpate a 
species so little able to elude its pursuers, and this juicy little 
Mesembryanthemum may generally escape the notice of cattle and 
"From History and Arrangement of the Ashmolean Museum, by P. B. Duncan: see 
pp. vi, vii of A Catalogue of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, 1836. 
® Travels in the Interior of Southern Africa, London, Vol. 1. 1822, p. 505. The 
references to Burchell’s observations in the present essay are adapted from the author’s 
article in Report of the British and South African Associations, 1905, Vol. m1. pp. 57—110. 
D. 18 
