Origin of Species Variorum

→ belong to the same system with 1859 1860 1861 1866

can be classed with all 1869 1872

→ falling either into the same or into intermediate groups, 1859 1860 1861 1866

naturally 1869 1872

→ the groups which have descended from an ancient progenitor 1859 1860 1861 1866

species 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

during their long course of descent and modification, 1869 1872

→ the 1859 1860 1861 1866

it is that the 1869 1872

→ 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

→ on the whole, higher 1861 1866

in some vague sense, higher 1859 1860

on the whole, higher in the scale of organisation 1869 1872

→ are 1859 1860 1861 1866

must be higher, 1869 1872

→ in so far higher 1859 1860 1861

higher in so far 1866

in so far 1869 1872

→ life; they will also generally have had their organs more specialised for different functions. 1861 1866

life. 1859 1860

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

→ little improved organisation 1861 1866

but little improved structures, 1869 1872

intervals of time, is widely different in different groups. The extinction of species and of whole groups of species, which has played so conspicuous a part in the history of the organic world, almost inevitably follows

from

the principle of natural selection; for old forms

are

will be

supplanted by new and improved forms. Neither single species nor groups of species

re-appear

reappear

when the chain of ordinary generation

has

once

~~been~~

been

broken. The gradual diffusion of dominant

forms

forms,

with the slow modification of their descendants, causes the forms of life, after long intervals of time, to appear as if they had changed simultaneously throughout the world. The fact of the fossil remains of each formation being in some degree intermediate in character between the fossils in the

formation

formations

above and below, is simply explained by their intermediate position in the chain of descent. The grand fact that all extinct

~~organic~~

organic

beings →belong to the same system with recent beings, →falling either into the same or into intermediate groups, follows from the living and the extinct being the

offspring

off-spring

of common parents. As →the groups which have descended from an ancient progenitor have generally diverged in

character

character,

→the progenitor with its early descendants will often be intermediate in character in comparison with its later descendants; and thus we can

understand

see

why →the more ancient →a fossil is, the oftener it stands in some degree intermediate between existing

allied

~~and allied~~

and allied

groups. Recent forms are generally looked

upon

as being, →on the whole, higher than ancient

~~and extinct~~

and extinct

forms; and they →are →in so far higher as the later and more improved forms have conquered the older and less improved

forms

organic beings

in the struggle for →life; they will also generally have had their organs more specialised for different functions. This fact is perfectly compatible with numerous beings still retaining

simple and →little improved organisation