Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from The Primary Factors of Organic Evolution
HE present book is an attempt to select from the mass of facts accumulated by biologists, those which. In the author's opinion, throw a clear light on the problem of organic evolution. And especially that of the animal kingdom. As the actual lines of descent can be finally demonstrated chie?y from paleontologic re search, I have drawn a large part of my evidence from this source. Of course, the restriction imposed by limited space has compelled the omission of a great many facts which have an important bear ing on the problem. I have preferred the paleontologic evidence for another reason. Darwin and the writers of his immediate school have drawn most of their evidence from facts which are embraced in the science of oecology. Weismann and writers of his type draw most of their evidence from the facts of embryology. The mass of facts recently brought to light in the field of paleon tology. Especially in the United States, remained to be presented, and the evidence they contain interwoven with that derived from the sources mentioned.
Many of the zoologists of this country. In common with many of those of other nations, have found reason for believing that the factors of evolution which were first clearly formulated by La marck. Are really such. This view is taken in the following pages, and the book may be regarded as containing a plea on their behalf. In other words. The argument is constructive and not destructive. The attempt is made to show what we know, rather than what we do not know. This is proper at this time. Since, in my opinion. A certain amount of evidence has accumulated to demonstrate the doctrine here defended, and which I have defended as a working hypothesis for twenty-five years.
In the following pages I have cited many authors who have contributed to the result, but it has been impossible to cite all whovi primary factors OF organic evolution.
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