The Project Gutenberg EBook of Contributions to the Theory of Natural Selection, by Alfred Russel pot

The Project Gutenberg EBook ofContributions to the Theory of Natural Selection, by Alfred Russel Wallace This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restri

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Contributions to the Theory of Natural Selection, by Alfred Russel Wallace

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Title: Contributions to the Theory of Natural Selection

A Series of Essays

Author: Alfred Russel Wallace

Release Date: August 29, 2007 [EBook

#22428]

Language: English

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CONTRIBUTIONS TO

THE THEORY OF

NATURAL SELECTION.

“THE MALAY ARCHIPELAGO,” ETC., ETC.

SECOND EDITION, WITH CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS.

The present volume consists of essayswhich I have contributed to variousperiodicals, or read before scientificsocieties during the last fifteen years, withothers now printed for the first time Thetwo first of the series are printed withoutalteration, because, having gained me thereputation of being an independentoriginator of the theory of “naturalselection,” they may be considered tohave some historical value I have added

to them one or two very short explanatorynotes, and have given headings tosubjects, to make them uniform with therest of the book The other essays have

been carefully corrected, oftenconsiderably enlarged, and in some casesalmost rewritten, so as to express morefully and more clearly the views which Ihold at the present time; and as most ofthem originally appeared in publicationswhich have a very limited circulation, Ibelieve that the larger portion of thisvolume will be new to many of my friendsand to most of my readers.

I now wish to say a few words on thereasons which have led me to publish thiswork The second essay, especially whentaken in connection with the first, contains

an outline sketch of the theory of the origin

of species (by means of what wasafterwards termed by Mr Darwin

—“natural selection,”) as conceived by

me before I had the least notion of thescope and nature of Mr Darwin’s labours.They were published in a way not likely

to attract the attention of any but workingnaturalists, and I feel sure that many whohave heard of them, have never had theopportunity of ascertaining how much orhow little they really contain It thereforehappens, that, while some writers give memore credit than I deserve, others mayvery naturally class me with Dr Wellsand Mr Patrick Matthew, who, as Mr.Darwin has shown in the historical sketchgiven in the 4th and 5th Editions of the

“Origin of Species,” certainly propoundedthe fundamental principle of “naturalselection” before himself, but who made

no further use of that principle, and failed

to see its wide and immensely important

The present work will, I venture tothink, prove, that I both saw at the time thevalue and scope of the law which I haddiscovered, and have since been able toapply it to some purpose in a few originallines of investigation But here my claimscease I have felt all my life, and I stillfeel, the most sincere satisfaction that Mr.Darwin had been at work long before me,and that it was not left for me to attempt towrite “The Origin of Species.” I have longsince measured my own strength, andknow well that it would be quite unequal

to that task Far abler men than myself mayconfess, that they have not that untiringpatience in accumulating, and thatwonderful skill in using, large masses of

facts of the most varied kind,—that wideand accurate physiological knowledge,—that acuteness in devising and skill incarrying out experiments,—and thatadmirable style of composition, at onceclear, persuasive and judicial,—qualities,which in their harmonious combinationmark out Mr Darwin as the man, perhaps

of all men now living, best fitted for thegreat work he has undertaken andaccomplished

My own more limited powers have, it

is true, enabled me now and then to seize

on some conspicuous group ofunappropriated facts, and to search outsome generalization which might bringthem under the reign of known law; butthey are not suited to that more scientific

and more laborious process of elaborateinduction, which in Mr Darwin’s handshas led to such brilliant results.

Another reason which has led me topublish this volume at the present time is,that there are some important points onwhich I differ from Mr Darwin, and Iwish to put my opinions on record in aneasily accessible form, before thepublication of his new work, (alreadyannounced,) in which I believe most ofthese disputed questions will be fullydiscussed

I will now give the date and mode ofpublication of each of the essays in thisvolume, as well as the amount ofalteration they have undergone

I.—On the Law which has Regulated theIntroduction of New Species.

First published in the “Annals andMagazine of Natural History,” September,

1855 Reprinted without alteration of thetext

II.—On the Tendency of Varieties toDepart indefinitely from the Original

Type

First published in the “Journal of theProceedings of the Linnæan Society,”August, 1858 Reprinted without alteration

of the text, except one or two grammaticalemendations

III.—Mimicry and other ProtectiveResemblances among Animals

First published in the “WestminsterReview,” July, 1867 Reprinted with afew corrections and some importantadditions, among which I may especiallymention Mr Jenner Weir’s observationsand experiments on the colours of thecaterpillars eaten or rejected by birds.

IV.—The Malayan Papilionidæ, OrSwallow-Tailed Butterflies, as Illustrative

of the Theory of Natural Selection.First published in the “Transactions ofthe Linnæan Society,” Vol XXV (readMarch, 1864), under the title, “On thePhenomena of Variation and GeographicalDistribution, as illustrated by thePapilionidæ of the Malayan Region.”

The introductory part of this essay is

now reprinted, omitting tables, references

to plates, &c., with some additions, andseveral corrections Owing to thepublication of Dr Felder’s “Voyage of theNovara” (Lepidoptera) in the intervalbetween the reading of my paper and itspublication, several of my new speciesmust have their names changed for thosegiven to them by Dr Felder, and this willexplain the want of agreement in somecases between the names used in thisvolume and those of the original paper

V.—On Instinct in Man and Animals.Not previously published

VI.—The Philosophy of Birds’ Nests.First published in the “Intellectual

Observer,” July, 1867 Reprinted withconsiderable emendations and additions.VII.—A Theory of Birds’ Nests; Showing

the relation of certain differences OfColour in Birds To their mode of

VIII.—Creation by Law

First published in the “Quarterly

Journal of Science,” October, 1867 Nowreprinted with a few alterations andadditions.

IX.—The Development of Human Racesunder the Law of Natural Selection.First published in the

“Anthropological Review,” May, 1864.Now reprinted with a few importantalterations and additions I had intended tohave considerably extended this essay, but

on attempting it I found that I shouldprobably weaken the effect without addingmuch to the argument I have thereforepreferred to leave it as it was first written,with the exception of a few ill-consideredpassages which never fully expressed mymeaning As it now stands, I believe itcontains the enunciation of an important

be beyond the boundaries of science, butwhich, I believe, will one day be broughtwithin her domain.

For the convenience of those who areacquainted with any of my essays in theiroriginal form, I subjoin references to the

more important additions and alterationsnow made to them.

ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS TO THE ESSAYS AS ORIGINALLY

PUBLISHED.

Essays I and II are unaltered, butshort notes are added at pp 19, 24, 29,and 40

III.—Mimicry, and other Protective

Resemblances among Animals.

PAGE

53

Additional illustration of protectivecolouring in the case of the wood-dove and the robin

63On moths resembling bird’s dungand mortar

Correction of some names of

African Papilios and a reference to

102An additional case of snake

mimicry in Oxyrhopus trigeminus.

107Mr Salvin’s case of mimicry amonghawks

113 Name, Diadema anomala, added.

Illustration of variability from Mr.Baker’s revision of the BritishRoses

173Additional facts, on local variations

of colour

196Additional genus of birds

(Ceycopsis) peculiar to Celebes.199,

200.Concluding remarks.

VI.—The Philosophy of Birds’ Nests.

218On nesting of Terns and Gulls,

235Illustration from the habits of

children and savages

235, Objection to term “hereditary habit”

236 answered.

237

Passage rewritten, on more or lessvariable characters in relation tonidification

302Tabular demonstration of the Origin

of Species by Natural Selection

IX.—The development of Human Races,

under the law of Natural Selection.

316On colour as perhaps correlatedwith immunity from disease in man.326,

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.

The flattering reception of my Essays bythe public and the press having led to asecond edition being called for within ayear of its first publication, I have takenthe opportunity to make a few necessarycorrections I have also added a fewpassages to the 6th and 7th Essays, andhave given two notes, explanatory of someportions of the last chapter which appear

to have been not always understood.These additions are as follows:—

To avoid altering the paging the

additional pages now given have been

lettered.

1st Ed 2nd Ed

221 221

Additional facts as tobirds acquiring the song

of other species

223 223a}

223b}

Mr Spruce’s remarks onyoung birds pairing withold

by any later observers.

261 261

Daines Barrington, onimportance of protection

to the female bird

372 Note A

372b Note B

I On the Law which has regulated the introduction of New Species.

Geographical distribution

dependent on Geologic Changes

A Law deduced from known Geographical and

well-Geological facts

The form of a true system ofClassification determined bythis Law

Geographical Distribution ofOrganisms

Geological Distribution of theforms of Life

High Organization of very

ancient Animals consistent withthis Law

Objections to Forbes’ Theory ofPolarity

Instability of Varieties supposed

to prove the permanent

distinctness of Species

The Struggle for Existence

The Law of Population of

Species

The Abundance or Rarity of aSpecies dependent upon itsmore or less perfect Adaptation

to the Conditions of Existence

Useful Variations will tend toIncrease, useless or hurtfulVariations to Diminish

Superior Varieties will

ultimately extirpate the OriginalSpecies

The Partial Reversion of

Popular Theories of Colour in

Importance of Concealment asinfluencing Colour

Special modifications of ColourTheory of Protective ColouringObjection that Colour as beingdangerous should not exist inNature

Mimicry

Mimicry among LepidopteraLepidoptera mimicking otherInsects

Mimicry among Beetles

Beetles mimicking other InsectsInsects mimicking Species ofother Orders

Cases of Mimicry among theVertebrata

Mimicry among Snakes

Mimicry among Birds

Mimicry among Mammals

Objections to Mr Bates’

Theory of Mimicry

Mimicry by Female Insects onlyCause of the dull Colours ofFemale Birds

Use of the gaudy Colours ofmany Caterpillars

ArrangementGeographical DistributionRange of the Groups of MalayanPapilionidæ

Remarkable peculiarities of theisland of Celebes

Concluding Remarks

V On Instinct in Man and Animals.

How Instinct may be best

Studied

Definition of Instinct

Does Man possess Instincts?

How Indians travel throughunknown and trackless Forests

VI The Philosophy of Birds’ Nests.

Instinct or Reason in the

Construction of Birds’ Nests

Do Men build by Reason or byImitation?

Why does each Bird build apeculiar kind of Nest?

How do young Birds learn tobuild their first Nest?

Do Birds sing by Instinct or byImitation?

How young Birds may learn tobuild Nests

Man’s Works mainly ImitativeBirds do Alter and Improvetheir Nests when altered

conditions require it

VII A Theory of Birds’ Nests; showing the relation of certain differences of colour in female birds to their mode

of nidification.

Changed Conditions and

persistent Habits as influencingNidification

What the Facts Teach us

Colour more variable thanStructure or Habits, and

therefore the Character whichhas generally been modified

Exceptional cases confirmatory

of the above Explanation

Real or apparent exceptions tothe Law stated at p 240

Various modes of Protection ofAnimals

Females of some groups requireand obtain more Protection thanthe Males

Conclusion

VIII Creation by Law.

Laws from which the Origin ofSpecies may be deduced

Mr Darwin’s Metaphors liable

to Misconception

A case of Orchis-structureexplained by Natural SelectionAdaptation brought about byGeneral Laws

Beauty in Nature

How new Forms are produced

by Variation and SelectionThe Objection that there areLimits to Variation

Objection to the argument fromClassification

The Times on Natural Selection

Intermediate or generalizedforms of Extinct Animals anindication of Transmutation orDevelopment

Outline of the Theory of NaturalSelection

Different effects of NaturalSelection on Animals and onMan

Influence of External Nature inthe development of the HumanMind

Extinction of Lower RacesThe Origin of the Races of ManThe Bearing of these views onthe Antiquity of Man

Their Bearing on the Dignityand Supremacy of Man

Their Bearing on the futureDevelopment of Man

Summary

Conclusion

X The Limits of Natural Selection as

applied to Man.

What Natural Selection can Notdo

The Brain of the Savage shown

to be Larger than he Needs it tobe

Size of Brain an importantElement of Mental PowerComparison of the Brains

of Man and of AnthropoidApes

body a remarkable PhenomenonSavage Man feels the want ofthis Hairy Covering

Man’s Naked Skin could nothave been produced by NaturalSelection

Feet and Hands of Man

considered as Difficulties on theTheory of Natural SelectionThe Origin of Some of Man’sMental Faculties, by the

preservation of Useful

Variations, not possible

Difficulty as to the Origin of theMoral Sense

Summary of the Argument as tothe Insufficiency of NaturalSelection to account for theDevelopment of Man

The Origin of ConsciousnessThe Nature of Matter

Matter is Force

All Force is probablyWill-force

Conclusion