CHAPTER IV. 
NATURAL SELECTION NOT MANIFESTED IN ORGANIC 
EVOLUTION. 
(a) GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIPjUTION. 
“ I see my way, as birds their trackless way. 
I shall arrive. What time, what circuit first, 
I ask not; but, unless God send His hail 
Or blinding fireballs, sleet or stifling snow, 
In some time—His good time—I shall arrive.” 
—Browning. 
I PROPOSE in this and the two following chapters to 
consider whether, in the process of Organic Evolution 
which the arguments of its supporters tend to establish, 
there is any manifestation of the action of Natural 
Selection. It seems to me that those who believe that 
the transmutation of species has been brought about by 
Natural Selection might reasonably anticipate that this 
would be the case. On the other hand, those who believe 
that other laws have led to the transmutation of species 
in such a manner that Natural Selection cannot come into 
play—supposing such a law to exist—and, still more, those 
who believe that there is no selective power in nature to 
produce such transformation, will not expect to find its 
influence manifest in the evolution of organic structures. 
But, putting aside all preconceived opinions, we will now 
proceed to investigate the arguments for Organic Evo 
lution, in order to see if we can discover any traces of 
the action of Natural Selection.