A first book in organic evolution

An accessible introduction to evolutionary theory and allied biological disciplines aimed at students and general readers. It begins with cellular structure and activities, describing mitosis, gamete maturation, fertilization, segmentation, and gastrulation as foundations of development. It then treats heredity with variation, discussing nuclear inheritance, germ-cell continuity, pangenesis theories, acquired characters, and environmental influences. A geological survey and the fossil record are used to outline transmutations and successive life‑forms. The work explains natural and artificial selection, mechanisms of adaptation such as protective and warning coloration, mimicry, sexual selection, and isolation. It examines human development and brain evolution, considers social implications, and closes with classification, references, and a glossary.