《物种起源》是英国生物学家查尔斯·达尔文系统阐述生物进化理论基础的生物学著作，1859年11月24日在伦敦出版。
本书中，达尔文根据20多年积累的对古生物学、生物地理学、形态学、胚胎学和分类学等许多领域的大量研究资料，以自然选择为中心，从变异性、遗传性、人工选择、生存竞争和适应等方面论证物种起源和生命自然界的多样性与统一性。
《物种起源》不仅开创了生物学发展史上的新纪元，使进化论思想渗透到自然科学的各个领域，而且引起了整个人类思想的巨大革命，在世界历史进程中有着广泛和深远的影响。

查尔斯·罗伯特·达尔文（1809－1882），英国博物学家，进化论的奠基者。22岁从剑桥大学毕业后，他乘坐“贝格尔”号舰做了历时5年的环球航行，对动植物和地质结构等进行了大量的观察和研究。1859年他出版划时代著作《物种起源》，提出了生物进化论学说，从而摧毁了各种唯心的神造论以及物种不变论。除了生物学外，他的理论对人类学、心理学、哲学的发展都有不容忽视的影响。

PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER I VARIATION UNDER DOMESTICATION
CAUSES OF VARIABILITY
EFFECTS OF HABIT AND OF THE USE OR DISUSE OF PARTS; CORRELATED VARIATION; INHERITANCE
CHARACTER OF DOMESTIC VARIETIES; DIFFICULTY OF DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN VARIETIES AND SPECIES; ORIGIN OF DOMESTIC VARIETIES FROM ONE OR MORE SPECIES
BREEDS OF THE DOMESTIC PIGEON, THEIR DIFFERENCES AND ORIGIN
PRINCIPLES OF SELECTION ANCIENTLY FOLLOWED AND THEIR EFFECTS
UNCONSCIOUS SELECTION
CIRCUMSTANCES FAVOURABLE TO MAN'S POWER OF SELECTION
CHAPTER II VARIATION UNDER NATURE
INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
DOUBTFUL SPECIES
WIDE-RANGING, MUCH DIFFUSED, AND COMMON SPECIES VARY MOST
SPECIES OF THE LARGER GENERA IN EACH COUNTRY VARY MORE FREQUENTLY THAN THE SPECIES OF THE SMALLER GENERA
MANY OF THE SPECIES INCLUDED WITHIN THE LARGER GENERA RESEMBLE VARIETIES IN BEING VERY CLOSELY BUT UNEQUALLY, RELATED TO EACH OTHER, AND IN HAVING RESTRICTED RANGES
SUMMARY
CHAPTER III STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE
THE TERM, STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE, USED IN A LARGE SENSE
GEOMETRICAL RATIO OF INCREASE
NATURE OF THE CHECKS TO INCREASE
……
CHAPTER IV NATURAL SELECTION; OR THE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST
CHAPTER V LAWS OF VARIATION
CHAPTER VI DIFFICULTIES OF THE THEORY
CHAPTER VII MISCELLANEOUS OBJECTIONS TO THE THEORY OF NATURAL SELECTION
CHAPTER VIII INSTINCE
CHAPTER IX HYBRIDISM
CHAPTER X ON THE IMPERFECTION OF THE GEOLOGICAL RECORD
CHAPTER XI ON THE GEOLOGICAL SUCCESSION OF ORGANIC BEINGS
CHAPTER XII GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
CHAPTER XIII GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION-CONTINUED
CHAPTER XIV MUTUAL AFFINITIES OF ORGANIC BEINGS: MORPHOLOGY-EMBRYOLOGY-RUDIMENTARY ORGANS
CHAPTER XV RECAPITULATION AND CONCLUSION
APPENDIX GLOSSARY OF THE PRINCIPAL SCIENTIFIC TERMS USED IN THE PRESENT VOLUME