Evolution and Wonder: Understanding Charles Darwin

About the Image

This elevation map of a coral reef island is a hand-drawn water-color sketch by Charles Darwin, date unknown.

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A greyscale image of Notebook B. The original notebook has been lost and isn't available for photoduplication.
(Reprinted with permission of Syndics of Cambridge University Library, DAR 121:45)

» listen (mp3, 1:24) to David Kohn provide a broader context to this passage and why Darwin wrote it

Image transcription →

The Creator has made tribes of animals adapted preeminently for each element, but it seems law that such tribes, as far as compatible with such structure are in minor degrees adapted for. other elements.
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every part would probably be not complete, if birds were fitted solely for air & fishes for water.[…]