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DARWIN'S FINCHES WITH WHICH HE PROVED THE EVOLUTION |
The theory of evolution did not start
with Charles Darwin. Although it is more accepted today.
The earliest record we have from the
Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BC) believing in a 'ladder of nature'. He
was the first person to classify animals to study their progress from the lower
forms of life to man. His theory was doomed because it was regarded as
blasphemy by the church. People believed that all creatures were created by God
at the same time.
The fossil found from dinosaurs was
explained as animals drowned in Noah's Flood. They were named 'antediluvian'
which means 'before the Flood'.
The Swedish botanist Karl von Limne
who is known by the name of Carolus Linnaeus (1707-78) had changed that theory.
He classified all known plants and animals according to their physical
similaritie
The naturalist Chevalier de Lamarck (1744-1829) put forward a theory of evolution in 'the inheritance of acquired characteristics'. He had the idea that an organism changed in response to the environment and then developed further to the next generation. Like the giraffe which has to stretch its neck to reach the leaves on top of the tree. Its neck grows longer and it is passed onto the next generation.
Lamarck met with ridicule and died in
poverty. The idea was wrong but he was on the right track on whole.
The question is still not settled
because the giraffe also grew long legs. To enable it to drink it has to splay
its legs. So the giraffe should have a long enough neck to stand and drink.
Apparently there are 1.5 million
different living things today. The origin can be traced back through fossil
records to the first simple organism. However, in spite of all that knowledge
and discovery there are still many questions which have not been answered.
Baron Georges Cuvier had the theory
that changes occur through sudden catastrophes. Since it went alongside with
the Bible the Church accepted his ideas. This would also explain why the
dinosaurs died out (because of the Great Flood). They also believed that the
Earth was created in 4004 BC.
The geologist Sir Charles Lyatt
believed in the theory that changes came about gradually with molten forces
under ground, wind and rain. This was right the opposite and the church were
not pleased at all. They also thought that the Earth was millions of years old
and that started Darwin's theories.
Darwin had the theory of natural
selection in other words 'survival of the fittest'. He watched creatures and
noticed that they compete with each other about better food or more food. The
same goes with avoiding predators. With this aim they develop different
methods. Therefore they grow better and/or developed some method and pass it on
to the next generation. Although it is very gradually from one generation to
the next but eventually it adds to evolution. Today it is known that these
changes are brought about by genetic mutation in the nucleus cells. At Darwin's
time this knowledge could not have been discovered.
A good proof is the Hawaiian Islands.
They had been created by volcanic eruptions. There were no birds there. It is
assumed that there were finch-like birds, maybe the honeycreepers, blown there
by wind. Nowadays there are at least six different species with various beaks
which grew of having different diets
Grosbeak Finch = seeds = broad short beak
Grosbeak have 13 living species and belong to
a larger family Carduelinae
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BLACK GROSBEAK FINCH |
The OU is a large, plump forest bird - 17 cm long
Palila = fruit, seeds and insects = broad, short beak with top beak slight overlapping
Palila = fruit, seeds and insects = broad, short beak with top beak slight overlapping
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PALILA |
Palila is a finch-billed species of the Hawaiian Honeykreeper
Akiapolaau = insects = narrow longer beak and top beak much longer than the bottom.
Akiapolaau = insects = narrow longer beak and top beak much longer than the bottom.
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AKIAPOLAAU |
It is an endangered species and lives on Hawaii and belongs to the Hawaiian Honeykreeker's family
Iiwi = insects and nectar = two
narrow long beaks, curved down
It is one of Hawaiian most plentiful species
many others had been extinct.
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IIWI |
It is one of Hawaiian most plentiful species
many others had been extinct.
Kauai Akialoa = nectar and insects = very long narrow beak slight curved down
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