New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-19
PROF MORSE on THE INVERTEBRATES.

PROF. MORSE On HE NLhl EDhAlI0'
FLEA FOR me DAEwINIAN rHEtRY or EVOLUTION
BIRDS AID REPTILES CLAIMED 70 BE OF lIH
SAME ORIGIN.
Prot. Morse delivered the last OF his series
Of lectures IN the nee course at the Cooper UnOn on
Saturday evening tdku. for ms subject the highest
forms of animal HtC.nc Tine audience was
all unusually large and AbraIn Hewitt, who intro
ouced the lccturcr IN announcing the lectures which
are Ofo.ow took express the qualification
OF himself welt those VINO had attended the course
a. the success which had been SO noticeable.
Prof. Morse treating the subject OF Nerebrltes OF
Creatures having backbone, cssed all such INTO
group, whie saying that IL by no means certain
thai they closed type Many, or al least some OF
tile naturfsts Of the present day, entertain the idea Of
III. perseverance OF type. la regard 10 this there was
pOlnt Of very great mportance. Those who believe
distinct species believe tntt these branches or types
90 not ran another, bat it seemed to hm that If
ono can show that the characters OF inter
shanccabie they show that the forms animals may be
interchangeable. II class OF vertcbrates might be
supposed 10 show closed type would BE- That of the
birds but he hoped show that birds not closed
type of the vertcbrdtes closed types In
III, fishes there were all the leading types that
found in man; in other words, yOu AuI skull with
lower Jaw oneutimes furnished with TEEN; The ska
contains a brain. with powerful nerve gingilons,
and from tins Sku YOU have series OF ceDtcrs, with
branches running OUT on either SIDE; NOd nave the
spinal cord running along above the whole length OF The
animal with stomach below, anu whcn inclosed "a
flesh have body fitted for the element IN winch
u TO dwell
skuhux the iuCiO,t BRAIN me series OF centers CrtuS
iae backbone with the nos branching out on e her >Qt
and tue spinal cord extending along us rms similarity
las led ndturdSts 10 suspect thl thcie Wete Wc ce
tiu natural laws by watch lie unio.dcd. ana only
by COmprehendluS those laws c"dld II ne known WHY
these type Characters were :" SlIVtN dl'iou TO- VI
tam ORGANS were tOuud animals which were
documentary and apparently Of no uSo Tor Instance ln
the snake there could be found thns IKE rldmeni
nry hind legs, which could only Dc found ~ eating
deep INTO the flesh. IL the h>h was found cole
b.OOdod ANNA" nNiAS III 'nt N''VI anu pl'', ,
through gill. little higher up We come 10 creatures
breathing air. All arImais grade ZION the genera. u
the specd', nom lht SulIe 10 'ut 'V'cN a." - o"'i
take, luarcn 10 that way, ana You 20 always up nv
cradual series Ol Authorizations. L!uuTIs places
iDe "haie WITH h5h' ana tuHer p..c.s Iln 80 re-
with sheiit-h or mOllusb>. - Wlh htIch"podS fhcf
ttrated them 10 tc 10 would DC some iIuc
before thls idea vo,d be -thefaly accepted 3ut a.
edge their Isjkc ANA 10 admit the correctness ol MS
theory. every class OF animals there were ctitd
another group that naturalist was inclined TO place
HEN here while another naturalist would place
never made. sonOobov i've years OLE could promptly
recognize Uird from any lnS e.se A. uhuhe a. olrHs
Lew HtIi 1f Inc lc, Won Vii ma mem eYca,cd In
scales aud the bird exactly like the turtle i'm the man
ner winch the SAUL aruCudtos win tie neck lhus
Pfoi. Morse said he thoroughly believed Darwin's
theory Of evolution or tue survival ol he finest MAS
correct in proof OF DO be referred the beetles of
tue Madeira Islands. which, M al the $50 kinds mat
funnd there, have their wings either developed ia
state Of extraordinary perfection 10 be capable OF
great flights " cse with wing, very mpcrecty dcyel
outd; the lecturer explained h> theory OF way
ID which TIN. had occurred bv The law % seec-
tOn said he: In the strong breez,s constantly blowing
over the Island OF Madeira those heetic who
less and often upon the Wing, would be blown
Sea ana thus would have no chance Of perpctuatng
,beir kind while those who used their wings less wond
he sheltered aud would increase and propagate
Of beetles whose from disease would become ms
perfect; again, those beetles which possessed 4
iraordlary power Of Wlug would successfully battle
with the winds. would not he blown on 10 sea, aud
wouid have chance of pcrpetuatIuE their kind. aud
thus would breed race OF very slrOhg ana perfect
winged beetles, and 80 the Jaw OF natural secretion
worked both ways as with men shipwrecked II would
l worse those WHO could SWIM te IMAM LOT those
who could not swim all. fOf The latter would stay by
the wreck the former would drown before roach
iDg the shore.