Fossil Evidence in the Origin of Species

Abstract

Charles Darwin's contemporaries repeatedly criticized him for advocating a theory that was unsupported by the geological record. It is well known that Darwin responded to these criticisms by attributing the absence of transitional forms to the fact that the geological record is incomplete. Often overlooked, however, is the fact that he seemed to hold out some hope that fossilized transitional forms might eventually be uncovered. Several transitional form candidates including the famous London Archaeopteryx were discovered after the Origin was first published, but these specimens are scarcely mentioned in subsequent editions of the text. I examine Darwin's treatment of these animals and suggest that his views on biological classification likely prevented him from citing their existence as evidence in favor of his theory. I conclude by attempting to demonstrate that Darwin desired one very specific type of paleontological evidence: a graded succession of forms.