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Linn. Trans Vol XIV. p. 53. Macleay "on certain general laws in the nat. distrib of insects & Fungi."— Species form the only absolute division of nature — all other groups are mere circles of affinity.— Aga Fries has said this of Fungi

p. 55. "a speaking theoretically it may be affirmed that "saltus did never exist in nature, & it may also be argued that if the hiatus are real, which so commonly occur in nature, they did not always exist". If the parallelism of the groups be admitted (which is necessary for their analogies) their number must be the same. Agardh Fries & self have independently asserted this parallelism.

p. 56 M. Fries makes all division 4, with one capable of division int two. Ocken also made 4, which he afterwards changed into 4. — So the number at least is not palpable.—

p. 62 in 1821, M. Decandolle stated the natural distribution of Cruciferous plants to be quinary: perhaps chance, but case of Fungi, will I think destroy my attempted explanation of air, land & water.— I cannot believe in these theoretical numbers, from our imperfect knowledge of the anatomy of most groups, (except vertebrates), & I was much struck with this remark, when reading— Vigor paper in this vol. on quinary arrangement of Birds. — Fossils & recent species fall into one system, & yet how few of the fossils do we know — think of footsteps of New Red Sandstone, — who can pretend to make system — even if such exist. Secondly value of the groups so completely

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arbitrary why shd Hawks make one chief group, more than Parrots. — Phanærogamist. Bot. do not admit scheme.