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ale； insects in the water。 Even in so extreme a case as this； if the supply of insects were constant； and if better adapted competitors did not already exist in the country； I can see no difficulty in a race of bears being rendered； by natural selection； more and more aquatic in their structure and habits； with larger and larger mouths； till a creature was produced as monstrous as a whale。
As we sometimes see individuals of a species following habits widely different from those both of their own species and of the other species of the same genus； we might expect； on my theory； that such individuals would occasionally have given rise to new species； having anomalous habits； and with their structure either slightly or considerably modified from that of their proper type。 And such instances do occur in nature。 Can a more striking instance of adaptation be given than that of a woodpecker for climbing trees and for seizing insects in the chinks of the bark？ Yet in North America there are woodpeckers which feed largely on fruit； and others with elongated wings which chase insects on the wing； and on the plains of La Plata； where not a tree grows； there is a woodpecker； which in every essential part of its organisation； even in its colouring； in the harsh tone of its voice； and undulatory flight； told me plainly of its close blood…relationship to our common species； yet it is a woodpecker which never climbs a tree！
Petrels are the most a？rial and oceanic of birds； yet in the quiet Sounds of Tierra del Fuego； the Puffinuria berardi； in its general habits； in its astonishing power of diving； its manner of swimming； and of flying when unwillingly it takes flight； would be mistaken by any one for an auk or grebe； nevertheless； it is essentially a petrel； but with many parts of its organisation profoundly modified。 On the other hand； the acutest observer by examining the dead body of the water…ouzel would never have suspected its sub…aquatic habits； yet this anomalous member of the strictly terrestrial thrush family wholly subsists by diving； grasping the stones with its feet and using its wings under water。
He who believes that each being has been created as we now see it； must occasionally have felt surprise when he has met with an animal having habits and structure not at all in agreement。 What can be plainer than that the webbed feet of ducks and geese are formed for swimming； yet there are upland geese with webbed feet which rarely or never go near the water； and no one except Audubon has seen the frigate…bird； which has all its four toes webbed； alight on the surface of the sea。 On the other hand； grebes and coots are eminently aquatic； although their toes are only bordered by membrane。 What seems plainer than that the long toes of grallatores are formed for walking over swamps and floating plants； yet the water…hen is nearly as aquatic as the coot； and the landrail nearly as terrestrial as the quail or partridge。 In such cases； and many others could be given； habits have changed without a corresponding change of structure。 The webbed feet of the upland goose may be said to have become rudimentary in function； though not in structure。 In the frigate…bird； the deeply…scooped membrane between the toes shows that structure has begun to change。
He who believes in separate and innumerable acts of creation will say； that in these cases it has pleased the Creator to cause a being of one type to take the place of one of another type； but this seems to me only restating the fact in dignified language。 He who believes in the struggle for existence and in the principle of natural selection； will acknowledge that every organic being is constantly endeavouring to increase in numbers； and that if any one being vary ever so little； either in habits or structure； and thus gain an advantage over some other inhabitant of the country； it will seize on the place of that inhabitant； however different it may be from its own place。 Hence it will cause him no surprise that there should be geese and frigate…birds with webbed feet； either living on the dry land or most rarely alighting on the water； that there should be long…toed corncrakes living in meadows instead of in swamps； that there should be woodpeckers where not a tree grows； that there should be diving thrushes； and petrels with the habits of auks。
Organs of extreme perfection and complication。 To suppose that the eye； with all its inimitable contrivances for adjusting the focus to different distances； for admitting different amounts of light； and for the correction of spherical and chromatic aberration； could have been formed by natural selection； seems； I freely confess； absurd in the highest possible degree。 Yet reason tells me； that if numerous gradations from a perfect and complex eye to one very imperfect and simple； each grade being useful to its possessor； can be shown to exist； if further； the eye does vary ever so slightly； and the variations be inherited； which is certainly the case； and if any variation or modification in the organ be ever useful to an animal under changing conditions of life； then the difficulty of believing that a perfect and complex eye could be formed by natural selection； though insuperable by our imagination； can hardly be considered real。 How a nerve comes to be sensitive to light； hardly concerns us more than how life itself first originated； but I may remark that several facts make me suspect that any sensitive nerve may be rendered sensitive to light； and likewise to those coarser vibrations of the air which produce sound。
In looking for the gradations by which an organ in any species has been perfected； we ought to look exclusively to its lineal ancestors； but this is scarcely ever possible； and we are forced in each case to look to species of the same group； that is to the collateral descendants from the same original parent…form； in order to see what gradations are possible； and for the chance of some gradations having been transmitted from the earlier stages of descent； in an unaltered or little altered condition。 Amongst existing Vertebrata； we find but a small amount of gradation in the structure of the eye； and from fossil species we can learn nothing on this head。 In this great class we should probably have to descend far beneath the lowest known fossiliferous stratum to discover the earlier stages； by which the eye has been perfected。
In the Articulata we can commence a series with an optic nerve merely coated with pigment； and without any other mechanism； and from this low stage； numerous gradations of structure； branching off in two fundamentally different lines； can be shown to exist； until we reach a moderately high stage of perfection。 In certain crustaceans； for instance； there is a double cornea； the inner one divided into facets； within each of which there is a lens shaped swelling。 In other crustaceans the transparent cones which are coated by pigment； and which properly act only by excluding lateral pencils of light； are convex at their upper ends and must act by convergence； and at their lower ends there seems to be an imperfect vitreous substance。 With these facts； here far too briefly and imperfectly given； which show that ther