The drawings were fudged, they are not a complete fake, and the fact was discovered by biologists, not creationists. Contrary to what Wells claims, evolutionist Stephen Gould was not silent about it, but published repeated essays on the subject over an extended period of time. Modern evolutionary and developmental biology do not rely on the work of a 19 th century scientist to make their case any more than physicists still consider Newton s work current. Current knowledge of developmental biology makes sense in the light of evolutionary theory because more closely related animals have more similar developmental systems. When exceptions occur, these are also predicted by evolution because they turn out to be the result of adaptation to special environmental circumstances.
Wells completely misunderstands cladistics.
The value of Archaeopteryx , as of any other fossil, is that it gives us a precious glimpse on the history of life on earth and that it does fit the expectations of Darwinian theory. We might never be able to find intermediates between two forms along their direct line of descent, but that is a standard of proof that is not required in historical sciences. Fossils like Archaeopteryx do show us that intermediate forms are possible and did in fact exist. Wells also does not seem to understand that ancestors can live simultaneously with their descendants. For example, you and your grandmother can be alive at the same time without negating the fact that you are on her direct line of descent.