I. Sensible oddities. Big fish, little fish -- Nonmoral nature -- The guano ring -- Quick lives and quirky changes. II. Personalities. Three geologists. The titular bishop of Titiopolis -- Hutton's purpose -- The stinkstones of Oeningen. Three biologists. Agassiz in the Galápagos -- Worm for a century, and for all seasons -- A hearing for Vavilov. III. Adaptation and development. Adaptation. Hyena myths and realities -- Kingdoms without wheels -- What happens to bodies if genes act for themselves? Development. Hen's teeth and horse's toes -- Helpful monsters. IV. Teilhard and Piltdown. The Piltdown conspiracy -- A reply to critics -- Our natural place. V. Science and politics. Creationism. Evolution as fact and theory -- A visit to Dayton -- Moon, Mann, and Otto. Race and creed. Science and Jewish immigration -- The politics of census. VI. Extinction. Phyletic size decrease in Hershey bars -- The belt of an asteroid -- Chance riches -- O grave, where is thy victory? VII. A zebra trilogy. What, if anything, is a zebra? -- How the zebra gets its stripes -- Quaggas, coiled oysters, and flimsy facts