Page - 380 - in The Origin of Species

380 ORIGIN OF SPECIES ages ; and it would be difficult to prove the truth of the propo- sition, for every now and then a living animal, as the Lepi- dosiren, is discovered having affinities directed towards very distinct groups. Yet if we compare the older Reptiles and Batrachians, the older Fish, the older Cephalopods, and the eocene Mammals, with the more recent members of the same classes, we must admit that there is truth in the remark. Let us see how far these several facts and inferences ac- cord with the theory of descent with modification. As the subject is somewhat complex, I must request the reader to turn to the diagram in the fourth chapter. We may suppose that the numbered letters in italics represent genera, and the dotted lines diverging from them the species in each genus. The diagram is much too simple, too few genera and too few species being given, but this is unimportant for us. The horizontal lines may represent successive geological forma- tions, and all the forms beneath the uppermost line may be considered as extinct. The three existing genera o" q^\ p^\ will form a small family; t" and /" a closely allied family or sub-family; and o'\ e'\ m" a third family. These three families, together with the many extinct genera on the sev- eral lines of descent diverging from the parent-form (A) will form an order, for all will have inherited something in common from their ancient progenitor. On the principle of the continued tendency to divergence of character, which was formerly illustrated by this diagram, the more recent any form is, the more it will generally differ from its ancient progenitor. Hence we can understand the rule that the most ancient fossils differ most from existing forms. We must not, however, assume that divergence of character is a neces- sary contingency; it depends solely on the descendants from a species being thus enabled to seize on many and different places in the economy of nature. Therefore it is quite pos- sible, as we have seen in the case of some Silurian forms, that a species might go on being slightly modified in relation to its slightly altered conditions of life, and yet retain throughout a vast period the same general characteristics. This is represented in the diagram by the letter f". All the many forms, extinct and recent, descended from (A), make, as before remarked, one order; and this order.