. Elementary biology; an introduction to the science of life . Fig. 250. Vestigial structures The vermiform appendix, a, in some mammals is reduced to an insignificant trifle, as in man, /; whereas in other mammals, as in some of the rat family, 2. it is capable of holding a considerable amount of food in the process of digestion. The horse walks on his third toe, j, the others being entirely absent or represented in part by the reduced " splints," b are quite useless from the point of view of adaptation, but which are nevertheless persistent through whole groups. For example, the wh
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. Elementary biology; an introduction to the science of life . Fig. 250. Vestigial structures The vermiform appendix, a, in some mammals is reduced to an insignificant trifle, as in man, /; whereas in other mammals, as in some of the rat family, 2. it is capable of holding a considerable amount of food in the process of digestion. The horse walks on his third toe, j, the others being entirely absent or represented in part by the reduced " splints, " b are quite useless from the point of view of adaptation, but which are nevertheless persistent through whole groups. For example, the whale develops legs that are never used, and the same is true of certain snakes. The skeleton of many a bird shows dis- tinct signs of fingers, or claws, among the wing bones.^ Other examples can be readily understood if we suppose that all plants and all animals are related through having had common ances- tors ; but they cannot be understood on any other supposition. 1 The vermiform appendix (see /. Fig. 2S) in man is the Hngering reminder of an organ that developed and functioned in other backboned animals, but that has no practical meaning in the life of man to-day— except to make trouble sometimes.