Origin of Species Variorum

→ does give, strongly 1866 1869 1872

gives, 1859 1860

gives 1861

→ 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

would be

a strange

strange

fact,

facts

if species

had

have

been independently

created

created,

and varieties

had

have

been produced

through

secondary laws.

If we admit that the geological record is imperfect

an extreme degree, then

such

the

facts

facts,

which

the record →does give, strongly support the theory of descent with modification. New species have come on the stage slowly and at successive intervals; and the amount of change, after equal 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

formations

formation

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

off-spring

offspring

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