| − | Darwin collected many biological specimens during the [[Voyage of the Beagle]] (1831-1836), which included birds from the Galápagos Islands. These were presented to the Geological Society of London upon his return and the birds were handed to an ornithologist for classification. From the differences in the shapes of their beaks Darwin had assumed they were different types of bird (blackbirds, grosbeaks, finches) but the ornithologist classified them as being different species of ground finch. Darwin surmised that, with little competition from other birds, individual varieties had evolved to fill ecological niches to utilize a wider range of food sources. When his journal<ref>[http://www.literature.org/authors/darwin-charles/the-voyage-of-the-beagle] The Voyage of the Beagle</ref> was published in 1843, he included this knowledge, which has misled many to think that he had developed his Theory of Natural Selection during his journey. | + | Darwin collected many biological specimens during the Voyage of the Beagle (1831-1836), which included birds from the Galápagos Islands. These were presented to the Geological Society of London upon his return and the birds were handed to an ornithologist for classification. From the differences in the shapes of their beaks Darwin had assumed they were different types of bird (blackbirds, grosbeaks, finches) but the ornithologist classified them as being different species of ground finch. Darwin surmised that, with little competition from other birds, individual varieties had evolved to fill ecological niches to utilize a wider range of food sources. When his journal<ref>[http://www.literature.org/authors/darwin-charles/the-voyage-of-the-beagle] The Voyage of the Beagle</ref> was published in 1843, he included this knowledge, which has misled many to think that he had developed his Theory of Natural Selection during his journey. |
| | Some Creationists claim that the different types of finch interbreed and are therefore not different species.<ref>http://ncseweb.org/creationism/analysis/modern-galapagos-finches</ref> | | Some Creationists claim that the different types of finch interbreed and are therefore not different species.<ref>http://ncseweb.org/creationism/analysis/modern-galapagos-finches</ref> |