184 THE FORMATION OP VARIETIES. 



degree of selection, or of care, exercised by man. But, 

 the reduction, or suppression, is thus suffered by man, 

 because : 



" Man," as Darwin says (p. 492, Vol. ii), " does not 

 regard modifications in the more important organs 

 * * * as long as they are compatible with health 

 and life. What does the breeder care about slight 

 changes in the molar teeth of his pigs, or for an addi- 

 tional molar tooth in the Dog ; or for any change in 

 the intestinal canal or other internal organ?" (Darwin 

 does not say this invidiously, but approvingly). "The 

 breeder cares for the flesh of his cattle, being well 

 marbled with fat, and for an accumulation of fat, with- 

 in the abdomen of his sheep, and this he has effected. 

 What would the floriculturist care for any change 

 in the structure of the ovarium, or of the ovules? 



* * * When he has produced any modification 

 in an important part, it has generally been unintention- 

 ally, in correlation with some other part, as when he 

 has given ridges and protuberances to the skulls of 

 fowls by attending to the form of the comb." 



Every character, which goes to make up any spe- 

 cies, even the hair, feathers, hoofs, horns, teeth, tail, 

 and ears is, by man, in some variety, exalted into 

 undue prominence, or wholly, or partially suppressed ; 

 and thus a line of divergence from the other varieties 

 of the given species, is thereby established. As Dar- 

 win says, If the fancier : 



"Simply" (p. 506, Vol. ii) "admired, for instance, 

 short-beaked, more than long-beaked birds, he would, 

 when he had to reduce the number (of birds) generally 

 kill the latter ; and there can be no doubt that he 

 would thus, in course of time, sensibly modify his 

 stock." 



