New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-03-17

sitiOn, cOuld taEo piaco Only curing Jhe pefiou vi
drouth Many individuals of the kind who had
gained only sbghtly increased length of neck
would have failed to enjoy the elevated FOLIAGE
which they had not the strength or endurance to
reach while other mere robust individuals would
struggle on till tkcy arrived ut vegetation lower
down.
Another difficulty in the principle of natural Sc
lection is found in the first formation of the nlUS u
the higher animals. According to Mr. Darwin, .no
primcyal vertebrate creature would have nei'.'t
legs nor feet. But how are we to account loi Wv
preservation and development Of the hrst ruu,'hon'
of limbs that were nhnitesmal and With0u' 60,
ton Tho different explanations OF tns i"',
by the Darwinians are insufficient. Inc ueNe,op
roert % tbe holcbope in the mouth OF the whale IL
another difficulty. whales mouth ~ ftnhithe"
With rrroorors horny plates which hang down nom
tbo rolota along each side Of the mouth "heh 'uo
wbale foods il takes into its mouth great guip Vi
water which it drives out again through 'i,o me-
vols of the horny plates Of whalebonc, thaU lc'''
| tLo minnie animals on which these marine monsters
subsist. Now. admitting that these plates Oh "haic
bone had attained a sufficient SIZE 10 DO OF pfacuc'i
soico Il ia Main that their development would be
promoted by natural selection alone But how TO
obtain the beginning Of such useful development
Ucre the theory Of natural selection is at fault.
The mouth Of tho young Kangaroo moreover, eX-
bibits sinpularly curious structure, the origin OF
which cannot well no accounted for on the hypo-
thesis Of minute indefinite variations In all mani
mails, the air passage from the lungs opens IN
the floor of the mouth behind the tongue,
in front Of tho opening Of tho gullct so
that each particle of food it is swallowed
passes over tho opening, but 10 prevented from
falling into it by the epGiottis, which at the
right moment bends back end protects the oriiicc
Now the kangaroo is born in such an imperfect state
| ~ - III 10 c-fUL ha m
is OBLIGED to inject milk into the mouth OF
the blind and naked young by means OF n
/ special muscular envelope OF tho mammary gland.
| If there were no special provision, the young
! ono would bo clicked by the entrance OF milk
! into tho winlripc Buo such y special provision,
| in fact, exists. The larynx is 50 elongated that
! ii rises up into the posteTor end Of tho nasal
massage giving FREQ entrance % thc air Tor the lungs,
! willie tho milk passes on each side Of tho liyn%,
and tus safely reaches the gIiict behind H. On the
theory Of Bir. Darwin, allowing to Langaroos and
other mammals TO have Lad q common pl0gantor 10
does not appear how natural selection coud ha7ere-
moved this structure, which Mt least is perfectly
innocent and harmless IRON II other mammals, or
| developed the elongated larynS, without which the
primcyaI kangaroo must have chcAed, WHO without
! the injecting rover OF tho mother it must have
starved The formation Of theJlommary gland, gone
rally end Of the eye and car Of the highest animals
presents on apparently iDGumountaJe objection TO
the univeraty Of natural CcicCiion Gs the sole law
! Of animal development. Tho complex and eimul-
taueous Combinations Of those wonderful specimens
of mccbanical arrangement, could mover have been
rrodcccd from iufuitcsima begnning7, since, until
so FIR developed as effect the requisite functions
thev are useless The difficulty is intensified By the
fact that the aincua1y complex structure has been
arrived at quite independently in beasts az tho one
hand and in cuttlefshos on the other while c-ea~
lures Of tie insect ard crab division present tlicd
! conplexty OF quite separate development.
! We have no srace to follow the author In tho dif-
ferent topics which he brings forward aiiording
conclusive proof tlat The origin Of species is not
fully accounted Coz on M DaIWin's theory Of natu-
raj selection. The difficulties which that theory
| involves can only be set aside the suppostion
that new forms Of animal life evolved according
| to laws in part depending On external conditions,
and in pcrt on their internal nature, similar to the
way in which crystals build themselves up accord
! iug 10 the internal law Of their component sub
stance alJ in harmony and correspondence with all
the influences and conditions Of their onyi onHlent
! Each crcani.m has its own internal and special
! laws of growth and Development. The innate ten
dency to dew -lop in q symmetrical manner is CON
trolod md modified hy the action nf external oonGi-
tioDs, bn. is not sapcrirGgcel b. external causes.
IN internal law is necessary to account 90 the same
time for specific divergence and specific identity.
! The successive evolution Of different organic forms
proceeds from the same mysterious power by which
a particle Of sructurelcss matter Is excessively de-
veoyed into an egg, grub, chry1alis, butterfly,
when al the conditions, ccsIiical, physical chcmi-
cal, and vital are supplied which arc The requisite
accompanilnents to determine such evolution.
The process by which the author has arrived at
this conclusion as described by linn in one of the
early chapters Of his work, affords an interesting
example Of scientific candor and freedom from prcjp-
dice instead Of blind adherence to foregono theo-
rics lie was originally dispo5ed to accept the prin-
chile Of natural selection. if no could find solution
for its difficulties. But they were enhanced, rather
than diminished, by The studies Of each successive
year. With every advance Of research in the field Of
natural history new objections suggested fresh
inconsistencies brought to light At length, he
became convinced that the theory of Ir Darwin
was insufficient to account for the preservation and
intcnsifcation of incipient specific, and generic
characters The idea that certain special forms Of
animal life could have been brought about by the
minute and fortuitOus variations to which they were
ascIibed seemed 20 be repugnant not only to imagi
nation but to reason. In spite Of all the resources
of q fertile genius, tho theory of Mr. Darwin, pure
and simple was reduced to the assertion of para
dOx great any be opposes, taking no account OF
natural laws at tho basis of certain modes of organic
action which the principle of natural selection fails
to explain.
The discussions of Mr.. Mivart in this volume are,
of course to be regarded provisional calculations
of the question: while its ultimate settlement is still
awaiting the further inquiries of scientific natural
lists Many of his readers will doubtless be disposed
to regret the large space which he has devoted to
metaphysical and theological ideas which appa-
rently of purely speculative character and foreign