The Portland daily press., 1896-03-28
PROFESSOR TYLER's LECTURE.
The Evolution of Some Domestic
Animals.


Animals.
God Gives Nothing to Man Ready Made
An Interesting Lecture on An Interest
ing Subject.
Prof. John M. Tyler, delivered the
second lecture on evolution at the Advent
church last evening. He said that evoiu-
ton is no new discovery, but was held by
the Greeks, the Hindoos and by some Of
the early fathers Of the church. Al that
Charles Darwin discovered was the theory
Of natural selection based on the struggle
for existence, and that theory has grown
in spite of much and strong opposition.
The real question is whether it is NOR
probable that species are fixed and I'M
cation. Preferences do not modify facts,
and he asked all present to give up their
individual preferences. When we start
in by thinking that the Creator ought to
have created plants and animals in a GER
tain way, we are apt to reach a decided
bOl4SA S1AoU LILO 01A OACdbO uAlSlIA uuou Wcy
He proposed to consider the question
whether existing species are modifloa-
lions of preceding species, or distinct
species themselves. Any given species
may be said to include all individuals
that do not differ too widely one from an
other. In certain groups distin ct species
cannot be easily asoertained, but it is
perfeotly,possible for one species to change
to another and man himself, has changed
from one form to another.
He took up few domesticated forms.
The elasticity of the animal is worthy Of
domestioated theory break down, and the
original form varies i'll all directions.
The possibility of change in all cases
will depend upon selection. The breeder
selects the best individual, and in a
similar way, according to Mr.. Darwin.
nature does the same thing. The first
selection is artificial, and the second fol
lows the laws of nature. The Elasticity
of animals under the hands of the breed
er, astonishes even eyOlutionists. From
the first form man has made almost any
change he has pleased. Even the skeleton
is changed. Darwin argued that evolu-
tion through natural selection, was just
what might have been expected. But it
has been said that this Elasticity is seen
only in domesticated animals, and that
the domestic animals were given to
man by the Creator, but that theory has
but few advocates today, largely it may
be because it is seen that God does not
give man anything ready made. Wild
animals are largely SO through fear. 1t
is said that man who goes to an unin-
habited island finds the animals tame,
but after three visits of men there they
will dart off at the sight Of man. 1t is
recognition by the brutes of the fact
that man is the destroyer.
One great reason for the changes made
in domesticated animals is the substitute
ing of one sort of food for another A
change in food and surroundings will re-
suit in changes of form, and then man
saves alive many forms Of life nature
would destroy. Some animals are more
capable Of change than Others and some
of our domestioated animals are possibly
more capable of variation than others In
wild state.
This dog for example has existed for
ages. We know that the Egyptians had
several varieties, even Including the
mongrel or cur, but there is no evidence
of the presence of the dog in the stone
age, that came after the ice age. There
is no trace of the work of the dog on the
bones of the game brought in by those
primitive hunters, and found mixed with
the strange stone. implemen is. Concern
ing the dog there are three theories That
all the present species descend from one
family. But if SO where is the original?
The wolf was not driven from England
or Scotland or Ireland until after oentu-
ries Of effort on the part of man, and
France in one year recently paid bounty
on 760 wolf soalps. Then there is theory
that all dogs are descended from one now
extinct wild species. This is possible.
but hardly probable, and better and
more probable theory is that dogs are de-
scended from various wild forms different
tribes had tanned. Darwin thought that
the dog descended from the jackal, and
possibly from two or three extinct
species. The Eskimo dog bears marked
resemblance to the large wolf, and one of
the reasons that dog is content to serve
man, is it's fear of the wolf.
The lecturer spoke Of life in the Oceanic
| islands. The trees, and plants are very
| like those of the mainland from which
| the currents set. or the wind blows, but
again species are found nowhere else
This is accounted for by the theory of
evolution. but not by that of distin ct
creation. Everything about the Oceanic
islands would seem to favor the theory of
evolution. Cave animals are eyolutions
from animals found outside. The fish
near the mouth of caves have eyes, those
further back rudimentary eyes, the eye
stalks at least, and further back are
| specimens destitute even of eye stalks
On the other hand the cave rat, living in
the semi-twilight of the mouth of the
cave, has remarkably large eyes. All this
is the result of evolution not of distinct