Genre:

Song, Drollery

Subjects:

Animal Development, Descent, Evolution, Darwinism, Religion

    Observes that Charles R Darwin's law of development implies that 'certain causes' produce 'varied effects', such as bats and birds, and that new and winged living things would develop from species attempting to fly. Speculates that monkeys, owing to continual leaping between trees, might have developed webs between their arms and their sides. Considers that, after aeons, this 'flying arboreal Ape [...] under conditions which modify shape', might have developed hoofs and horns. Reflects that, the species becoming extinct, tradition might have preserved remembrance of its anatomical features, representing them as the Devil to the 'popular mind'.