Comparison with 1872 |
|
fossils in the formations
above and below, is simply explained by their intermediate position in the chain of descent. The grand fact that all extinct
....... 1869 1872 | organic 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
beings
can be classed with all can be classed with all 1869 1872 |
belong to the same system with 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
recent beings,
naturally naturally 1869 1872 |
falling either into the same or into intermediate groups, 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
follows from the living and the extinct being the offspring
of common parents. As
species species 1869 1872 |
the groups which have descended from an ancient progenitor 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
have generally diverged in
character character 1869 1872 | character, 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
during their long course of descent and modification, during their long course of descent and modification, 1869 1872 |
the progenitor with its early descendants will often be intermediate in character in comparison with its later descendants; and thus 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
we can
understand understand 1869 1872 | see 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
why
it is that the it is that the 1869 1872 |
the 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
more ancient
forms, or early progenitors of each group, so often occupy a position forms, or early progenitors of each group, so often occupy a position 1869 1872 |
a fossil is, the oftener it stands 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
in some degree intermediate between existing
....... 1869 1872 | and allied 1859 1860 1861 | allied 1866 |
groups. Recent forms are generally looked
upon upon 1872 | at 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 |
as being,
on the whole, higher in the scale of organisation on the whole, higher in the scale of organisation 1869 1872 |
in some vague sense, higher 1859 1860 |
on the whole, higher 1861 1866 |
than ancient
....... 1869 1872 | and extinct 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
forms; and they
must be higher, must be higher, 1869 1872 |
are 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
in so far in so far 1869 1872 |
in so far higher 1859 1860 1861 |
higher in so far 1866 |
as the later and more improved forms have conquered the older and less improved
forms forms 1869 1872 | organic beings 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
in the struggle for
life; they have also generally had their organs more specialised for different functions. life; they have also generally had their organs more specialised for different functions. 1872 |
life. 1859 1860 |
life; they will also generally have had their organs more specialised for different functions. 1861 1866 |
life; they have also generally had their organs more specialized for different functions. 1869 |
This fact is perfectly compatible with numerous beings still retaining a
simple and little improved organisation
fitted for simple conditions of life; it is likewise compatible with some forms having retrograded in organisation, though becoming under each grade
of descent better fitted for their changed
and degraded habits of life. Lastly, the
wonderful law wonderful law 1869 1872 | law 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
of the long endurance of allied forms on the same continent,— of marsupials in Australia, of edentata in America, and other such cases,— is intelligible, for
within the same within the same 1872 |
within a confined 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
generally within the same 1869 |
country country 1872 | country, 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 |
the
existing existing 1869 1872 | recent 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
and the extinct will
....... 1866 1869 1872 | naturally 1859 1860 1861 |
be
closely allied closely allied 1866 1869 1872 | allied 1859 1860 1861 |
by descent. |
|
Looking to geographical distribution, if we admit that there has been during the long course of ages much migration from one part of the world to another, owing to former climatal and geographical changes and to the many occasional and unknown means of dispersal, then we can understand, on the theory of descent with modification, most of the great leading facts in Distribution. We can see why there should be so striking a parallelism in the distribution of organic beings throughout space, and in their geological succession throughout time; for in both cases the beings have been connected by the bond of ordinary generation, and the means of
|
fossils in the
formations formations 1859 1860 1861 1869 1872 | formation 1866 |
above and below, is simply explained by their intermediate position in the chain of descent. The grand fact that all extinct
organic organic 1859 1860 1861 1866 | organic 1869 1872 |
beings
belong to the same system with belong to the same system with 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
can be classed with all 1869 1872 |
recent beings,
falling either into the same or into intermediate groups, falling either into the same or into intermediate groups, 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
naturally 1869 1872 |
follows from the living and the extinct being the
offspring offspring 1859 1860 1866 1869 1872 | off-spring 1861 |
of common parents. As
the groups which have descended from an ancient progenitor the groups which have descended from an ancient progenitor 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
species 1869 1872 |
have generally diverged in
character, character, 1859 1860 1861 1866 | character 1869 1872 |
the progenitor with its early descendants will often be intermediate in character in comparison with its later descendants; and thus the progenitor with its early descendants will often be intermediate in character in comparison with its later descendants; and thus 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
during their long course of descent and modification, 1869 1872 |
we can
see see 1859 1860 1861 1866 | understand 1869 1872 |
why
the the 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
it is that the 1869 1872 |
more ancient
a fossil is, the oftener it stands a fossil is, the oftener it stands 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
forms, or early progenitors of each group, so often occupy a position 1869 1872 |
in some degree intermediate between existing
and allied and allied 1859 1860 1861 | allied 1866 | and allied 1869 1872 |
groups. Recent forms are generally looked
at at 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 | upon 1872 |
as being,
in some vague sense, higher in some vague sense, higher 1859 1860 |
on the whole, higher 1861 1866 |
on the whole, higher in the scale of organisation 1869 1872 |
than ancient
and extinct and extinct 1859 1860 1861 1866 | and extinct 1869 1872 |
forms; and they
are are 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
must be higher, 1869 1872 |
in so far higher in so far higher 1859 1860 1861 |
higher in so far 1866 |
in so far 1869 1872 |
as the later and more improved forms have conquered the older and less improved
organic beings organic beings 1859 1860 1861 1866 | forms 1869 1872 |
in the struggle for
life. life. 1859 1860 |
life; they will also generally have had their organs more specialised for different functions. 1861 1866 |
life; they have also generally had their organs more specialized for different functions. 1869 |
life; they have also generally had their organs more specialised for different functions. 1872 |
↑1 blocks not present in 1859 1860; present in 1861 1866 1869 1872 | This fact is perfectly compatible with numerous beings still retaining a
simple and little improved organisation
fitted for simple conditions of life; it is likewise compatible with some forms having retrograded in organisation, though becoming under each grade
of descent better fitted for their changed
and degraded habits of life.
|
Lastly, the
law law 1859 1860 1861 1866 | wonderful law 1869 1872 |
of the long endurance of allied forms on the same continent,— of marsupials in Australia, of edentata in America, and other such cases,— is intelligible, for
within a confined within a confined 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
generally within the same 1869 |
within the same 1872 |
country, country, 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 | country 1872 |
the
recent recent 1859 1860 1861 1866 | existing 1869 1872 |
and the extinct will
naturally naturally 1859 1860 1861 | naturally 1866 1869 1872 |
be
allied allied 1859 1860 1861 | closely allied 1866 1869 1872 |
by descent. |
|
Looking to geographical distribution, if we admit that there has been during the long course of ages much migration from one part of the world to another, owing to former climatal and geographical changes and to the many occasional and unknown means of dispersal, then we can understand, on the theory of descent with modification, most of the great leading facts in Distribution. We can see why there should be so striking a parallelism in the distribution of organic beings throughout space, and in their geological succession throughout time; for in both cases the beings have been connected by the bond of ordinary generation, and the means of
|