"Darwin Quote #2.6. [Re: "lack" of transitional fossils]"
Why did you not post the rest of the quote, where he explains why the fossil record is what it is?
"It will be more convenient to discuss this question in the chapter on the Imperfection of the Geological Record; and I will here only state that I believe the answer mainly lies in the record being incomparably less perfect than is generally supposed. The crust of the earth is a vast museum; but the natural connections have been imperfectly made, and only at long intervals of time."
He spent an entire chapter explaining the problems with the fossil record.
[... Lack of transitional forms...]
You see... I haven't figured out how a bird can fly while
waiting millions of years for it's scales to become feathers...
The animal would be extremely vulnerable while waiting to
either slither or fly.
I believe these transitional forms are actual species, or
adaptations. MHO.