The Descent of Man

animal which was born hairy and remained so
during life. The loss of hair is an inconvenience
and probably an injury to man, even in a hot
climate, for he is thus exposed to the scorching
of the sun, and to sudden chills, especially during
wet weather. As Mr. Wallace remarks, the
natives in all countries are glad to protect their
naked backs and shoulders with some slight
covering. No one supposes that the nakedness
of the skin is any direct advantage to man; his
body therefore cannot have been divested of
hair through natural selection. (21. 'Contributions
to the Theory of Natural Selection,' 1870,
p. 346. Mr. Wallace believes (p. 350) "that some
intelligent power has guided or determined the
development of man"; and he considers the
hairless condition of the skin as coming under
this head. The Rev. T.R. Stebbing, in commenting
on this view ('Transactions of Devonshire
Association for Science,' 1870) remarks, that
had Mr. Wallace "employed his usual ingenuity
on the question of man's hairless skin, he might