# The Origin of Species — Character guide

> Key figures in The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin.

- [Charles Darwin](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/charles_darwin.md): The author and narrator, presenting his theory of natural selection.
- [Gärtner](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/gartner.md): A botanist whose experiments on plant hybridization are frequently cited.
- [Dr. Hooker](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/hooker.md): A botanist and close colleague who provided key evidence and support.
- [Professor Owen](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/owen.md): A prominent anatomist and critic of Darwin's theory.
- [Mr. Mivart](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/mivart.md): A biologist who raised detailed objections to natural selection.
- [De Candolle](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/de_candolle.md): A botanist whose work on plant geography and variation is referenced.
- [Fritz Müller](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/fritz_muller.md): A naturalist in Brazil who provided supporting evidence for natural selection.
- [Sir Charles Lyell](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/lyell.md): A geologist whose uniformitarian principles influenced Darwin's thinking.
- [Kölreuter](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/kolreuter.md): A botanist known for early experiments on plant hybridization.
- [Mr. H. C. Watson](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/watson.md): A botanist who studied plant distribution and variation.
- [Mr. Wallace](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/wallace.md): A naturalist who independently conceived the theory of natural selection.
- [Agassiz](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/agassiz.md): A prominent naturalist who opposed the theory of evolution.
- [Mr. Bates](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/bates.md): A naturalist and explorer who studied mimicry in Amazonian butterflies.
- [Pictet](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/pictet.md): A paleontologist who discussed the fossil record and transitions.
- [Asa Gray](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/asa_gray.md): A leading American botanist and early supporter of Darwin.
- [Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/geoffroy_saint_hilaire.md): A French naturalist who studied embryology and unity of type.
- [M. Barrande](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/barrande.md): A paleontologist who studied Silurian fossils and their distribution.
- [Mr. Croll](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/croll.md): A geologist who proposed astronomical causes for glacial periods.
- [Mr. Wollaston](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/wollaston.md): A naturalist who studied beetles and island biogeography.
- [Pierre Huber](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/pierre_huber.md): A naturalist who studied ant behavior and instincts.
- [W. Herbert](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/herbert.md): A botanist who conducted experiments on plant hybridization.
- [Mr. B. D. Walsh](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/walsh.md): An entomologist who studied insect galls and variation.
- [Mr. Waterhouse](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/waterhouse.md): A naturalist who studied mammals and beetles.
- [Mr. Hudson](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/hudson.md): A naturalist who observed birds and instincts in South America.
- [Buffon](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/buffon.md): An early naturalist who speculated on the mutability of species.
- [Lamarck](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/lamarck.md): A naturalist who proposed an early theory of evolution by acquired traits.
- [M. Naudin](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/naudin.md): A botanist who studied hybridization and species formation.
- [Edward Forbes](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/edward_forbes.md): A naturalist who studied biogeography and the distribution of species.
- [Sir John Lubbock](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/lubbock.md): A naturalist who studied insects and early man.
- [Dr. W. C. Wells](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/wells.md): A physician who anticipated natural selection in human races.
- [Herbert Spencer](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/herbert_spencer.md): A philosopher who coined the phrase 'survival of the fittest'.
- [Dr. Falconer](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/falconer.md): A paleontologist who studied fossil mammals and elephants.
- [Mr. E. Ray Lankester](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/ray_lankester.md): A zoologist who studied comparative anatomy and evolution.
- [Professor Haeckel](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/haeckel.md): A German biologist who popularized Darwin's theory and the biogenetic law.
- [Mr. Patrick Matthew](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/patrick_matthew.md): A naturalist who anticipated natural selection in an appendix.
- [Cuvier](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/cuvier.md): A founder of paleontology who believed in the fixity of species.
- [Bronn](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/bronn.md): A German paleontologist who translated and critiqued Darwin's work.
- [Professor Huxley](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/huxley.md): A biologist and fierce defender of Darwin's theory.
- [Mr. Blyth](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/blyth.md): A naturalist who studied variation and wrote on species.
- [Van Mons](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/van_mons.md): A horticulturist known for breeding fruit varieties.
- [Dr. Cruger](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/cruger.md): A botanist who studied fertilization and dimorphism in plants.
- [Dr. Gunther](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/gunther.md): A zoologist who studied fish and reptiles.
- [Von Baer](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/von_baer.md): An embryologist who formulated laws of development.
- [Milne Edwards](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/milne_edwards.md): A French zoologist who studied physiology and division of labor.
- [Professor Flower](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/flower.md): A zoologist who studied mammalian anatomy and classification.
- [Professor Ramsay](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/ramsay.md): A geologist who studied the action of ice and rock formations.
- [Sprengel](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/sprengel.md): A botanist who discovered the role of insects in plant fertilization.
- [Sir R. Murchison](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/murchison.md): A geologist who studied Silurian and Permian systems.
- [Mr. Gould](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/gould.md): A naturalist who studied birds and their distribution.
- [Goethe](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/goethe.md): A poet and naturalist who speculated on plant metamorphosis.
- [Audubon](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/audubon.md): A naturalist and painter known for his studies of American birds.
- [Nägeli](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/nageli.md): A botanist who studied plant variation and heredity.
- [Linnaeus](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/linnaeus.md): The founder of modern taxonomy who believed species were fixed.
- [Moritz Wagner](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/moritz_wagner.md): A naturalist who proposed the role of geographical isolation in speciation.
- [Aristotle](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/aristotle.md): An ancient philosopher who wrote on natural history and classification.
- [Professor Weismann](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/weismann.md): A biologist who developed the germ plasm theory of heredity.
- [Oswald Heer](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/heer.md): A paleobotanist who studied fossil plants of the Arctic.
- [Professor Rütimeyer](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/rutimeyer.md): A paleontologist who studied fossil mammals and their evolution.
- [Pallas](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/pallas.md): A naturalist who studied the geography and variation of species.
- [James Dwight Dana](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/dana.md): A geologist and zoologist who studied coral reefs and crustaceans.
- [Mr. F. Smith](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/f_smith.md): An entomologist who studied ants and their slave-making instincts.
- [Mr. Youatt](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/youatt.md): A writer on animal breeding and domestication.
- [Bakewell](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/bakewell.md): A livestock breeder who pioneered selective breeding methods.
- [Mr. Tegetmeier](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/tegetmeier.md): A naturalist and pigeon fancier who assisted Darwin's research.
- [Mr. Darwin](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters/darwin_freeman.md): The author, Charles Darwin, presenting his theory of evolution.

HTML index: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_origin_of_species_se/characters