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The Descent of Man

The Descent of Man

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dified through natural selection for real use; for<br />

instance, in that wondrous organ the human<br />

eye. And we know what Helmholtz, the highest<br />

authority in Europe on the subject, has said<br />

about the human eye; that if an optician had<br />

sold him an instrument so carelessly made, he<br />

would have thought himself fully justified in<br />

returning it. (52. 'Popular Lectures on Scientific<br />

Subjects,' Eng. trans. 1873, pp. 219, 227, 269,<br />

390.)<br />

We have now seen that a perfect series can be<br />

followed, from simple spots to the wonderful<br />

ball-and-socket ornaments. Mr. Gould, who<br />

kindly gave me some <strong>of</strong> these feathers, fully<br />

agrees with me in the completeness <strong>of</strong> the gradation.<br />

It is obvious that the stages in development<br />

exhibited by the feathers on the same bird<br />

do not at all necessarily shew us the steps passed<br />

through by the extinct progenitors <strong>of</strong> the<br />

species; but they probably give us the clue to<br />

the actual steps, and they at least prove to de-

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