Darwinism stated by Darwin himself: Characteristic passages from the writings of Charles DarwinDarwin, Charles
Science
Darwinism stated by Darwin himself: Characteristic passages from the writings of Charles Darwin
Darwin, Charles
Evolution (Biology)
Some few persons have the power of contracting the superficial muscles
on their scalps; and these muscles are in a variable and partially
rudimentary condition. M. A. de Candolle has communicated to me a
curious instance of the long-continued persistence or inheritance of
this power, as well as of its unusual development. He knows a family in
which one member, the present head of the family, could, when a youth,
pitch several heavy books from his head by the movement of the scalp
alone; and he won wagers by performing this feat. His father, uncle,
grandfather, and his three children possess the same power to the same
unusual degree. This family became divided eight generations ago into
two branches; so that the head of the above-mentioned branch is cousin
in the seventh degree to the head of the other branch. This distant
cousin resides in another part of France; and, on being asked whether
he possessed the same faculty, immediately exhibited his power. This
case offers a good illustration how persistent may be the transmission
of an absolutely useless faculty, probably derived from our remote
semi-human progenitors, since many monkeys have, and frequently use,
the power of largely moving their scalps up and down.
* * * * *
[Page 23.]
It is well known that in the males of all mammals, including man,
rudimentary mammæ exist. These in several instances have become well
developed, and have yielded a copious supply of milk. Their essential
identity in the two sexes is likewise shown by their occasional
sympathetic enlargement in both during an attack of the measles.
“NO OTHER EXPLANATION HAS EVER BEEN GIVEN.”
[Page 24.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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