Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.
Les informations fournies dans la section « Synopsis » peuvent faire référence à une autre édition de ce titre.
This book has been prepared to meet a specific demand, long felt here and elsewhere, for an account of the various phases of evolutionary biology condensed within the scope of one volume of moderate size. The present writer has now for sixteen successive years presented in lecture form to large classes of students the subjects of evolution, genetics, and eugenics. Never have we been able to find a single book that would cover the required ground. In fact it has been necessary to require, or at least to recommend, as many as three books. It is believed that the present book will furnish adequate reading material for a major or a semester course in evolutionary biology. Some supplementary reading may be necessary in case an instructor wishes to emphasize one or more phases of the subject; but for a first course in the subject we believe that all of the essential reading material will be found within the text itself. An effort has been made to present the subject in the best pedagogical order. After a general introduction, a rather long chapter appears in which the whole history of the development of evolutionary science is outlined, together with the names and contributions of the leading evolutionists. Part II is a presentation of the evidences of organic evolution, beginning with the bodies of evidence most definite and direct, and ending with the less definite and more controversial. Part III deals with causo-mechanical theories of evolution with Darwinism as the central topic. Part I concerns itself with genetics or modern experimental evolution, and Part Vwith eugenics, or genetics as applied to human improvement. The book consists largely of excerpts, some long and some short, from both the older classical evolutionary writers and the modern writers. Our aim has been to select the most significant or characteristic passages from each author. In most case
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)
Les informations fournies dans la section « A propos du livre » peuvent faire référence à une autre édition de ce titre.