Telegram-herald., 1890-09-01
sLKPHANTINE EVOLUTION.
EAs stArtlinz Ihssfs F4epeanssa ~ a
Eost1a Seie0tist

Ehs stArtiinS Ihsoft P4epeansioa ~ a
Eesses sslsstssa
Pref. Balslon, 81 Bossoa, advances =
earoas aaea on ine sat3eoi u svesa-
uoa ia the animal kingaosn. The sro-
fessQF Is : Irm believer Ia the Theory
of evolution, and As IS OF Ihs opiaion
1A2l there Is 40 such thing a. slase4-
ton IN species, that tae laou or musk-
rat of today differs silgbtlv irom its
progenitor OF = hundred years ago. -
Us descendant u hundred years Ia
the f0t0Te vii dlter from the hons ~
muskrats winch nov surround Us IA
our daily walk. Ihe professor. al
course. uses = hundred years ss con-
yeniens illustrative period Of time 1t
is not probable that the changes OF a
century could be- noted IN the lion or
muskfat; give them. rather, 100, ,oJ0 o.
! .00O, 90 years ike every true seien-
t.st, TIE professor = wildly pTodlgal of
time.
Professor Balston was inspired 10
write OF the matter 10 which Ne have
referred on reading the recently puD-
lshed volume OF Wentworth, the
famous south American explorer.
Wentworth tells many Interesting
things concerning tie monkeys oi
Southeastern Brazil. These monkeys,
the l.agothrlK oil Humboldt. have tails
which Are remarkably prenensiole as
well as strong. Wentworth saw i chain
OF tiirtv-two Ot these monkeys reach
ing from near the ton OF one tai tree
10 another on the opposite sl1e oi 4
stream of considerable width. 1t MAS
made by each monkey securely grasp
ing the tai OF the monkey ~ 'front.' OF
han, the first monkey on one SIDE hold
ny 10 the tree branch with las tai and
the last on the other slde clingins With
his hands. Il was finally broken by an
iniudicious monkey near the middle
relaxing his hold with one hand 10 rub
his ear. and alterward ten OF them
swung sor some time. the suspension OF
the entire weight depending OF the
tail OF the FIRST monkey, which Was
wound tightly around the llmb of the
| tree. Tns is only one 9t the many
curious and interesting things related
| by Wentworth.
The proposition which Professor Bais-
ton pats forward IS that III 10000 years
for l00, 900. or 600 600, # you are not
satisfied we may IND that monkeys
have given up the practice OF swinging
by their tails from tree-tOps, and that
the trick has been learned by the eie-
phants. At present, the professor
hastcns 70 explains, no thought d
/ further from the mind Of n sane and
weil-balanced elephant than that OF
swinging from a high branch b. hi'
/ tail. lie quotes authors. reaching iIOm
1 Stanley back 10 PlDy the Elder. 80 sus
tam his position. The statement made
by the Rev. Mr.. Talmage. that during
/ hls recent VISIT 10 the Holy Land ht
I saw elephants thus playlully suspend
/ themselves from the branches Of olive
/ trees, the professor denounce as pre-
! nosterous-in fact, ne considers % s
/ Ioxe, but one unworthy tue great
Brookly divine. II being settled, then
! that the elephant never SWING.
I bv his tail. nor, indeed, ever
wraps his tail around a branch and
! tries TO raise himself. the Professor goes
on to show what 4 remarkable proof o
/ the evolution theory it will be wher
two or three dozen elephants link them
selves together with Their trunks and
1 tails and form a bridge across nayl
/ gable river.
As 10 what changes VIII take place in
100000 years (or in 100000 Or 1900.
I 000-or more we, OF course, can no
say, but some things would seem q
make the outlook for the PROBE s0r
I theory dscourag.ng. That thc cle
! phaut does not now SWING by las tal
! few Or none wli DENY. Inc nnX
! question that arises IS, WY rlo4ld nc
! What VIII induce the hrst cle.
/ phant 90 make the attempt Ia'
great weight OF the elephant VIII wors
I against the practice, and espfc all
against the attempt of the first elepa4u
I before his tail has become s.rcECih
( bv evolution. The fuil-growu e.epnan
weighs some :, 600 pounds. IN the cas-
I OF a chain of ten elephsuts. as proposed
the tai Of the first one must sustain 90.
/ enormous load OF 1000 pounds, o
thlrty-fve tons. Tne South America
/ monkey does not weigh aeOye thlIt
leunds. though his tai Is somo thre
/ tEet IN length. We do not know 8
Professor Bslston expects the elephants
/ tall TO develop n length in propostlo
/ 10 MS WeiLut on l4ie naol>t "a ttt iit'i - y
but IL be does, lt Will give the futur
elephant tai approximate
700 feet IN length. THIS will lac cum
bersome. and tne future barnum 9
/ hlbiting IN Rhode Island may find th'
tails of bis elephants reaching Owe
into Massachusetts, and Conncclcu'
But we do not know that the professo
expects tnis: the elcphantof of the tutuf
NAV be provided simply with a ncs
but not gaudy tail from twelve {
TWENTY-FIVE feet long. Science IN 20
/ nineteenth century is rot Trooeefl in
on q Jog trot. but ~ leaps aBd bound
indeed. we may say that science tssul
! pending itself by lis taii from the hici
est branches and swinging boldly ffoi