the natural Distribution of Insects and Fungi. 53 
correspondent. Ultima cosmica momenta differunt, sed cite- 
riora congruunt, que in habitu externo et characteribus acci- 
dentalibus mutandis maxime valent. Ubicumque in Historia 
naturali oculos convertimus, singulum organismum multiplicia 
hujus offerunt exempla. Systema mycologicum infra explica- 
tum his omnino nititur. Clavaria et Peziza, Biatora et B«o- 
myces affines sunt; sed Clavaria et Bæomyces, Peziza et Biatora 
analoge, e. s. p. in infinitum. 
** Comparatio Linnæana affinitatis plantarum cum mappa geo- 
graphicá haud ignobilis visa fuit; ignoscatur igitur mihi hanc 
ita extendenti, ut affinitas in hac indicet longitudinem et analo- 
gia latitudinem. 
* Neque hoc tantum in inferiores classes quadrat. Naturæ 
leges ubique harmonicæ. Si systema mycologicum et principia, 
quibus nititur, omnibus non displicerent, totius regni vegetabi- 
lis dispositionem demonstrare conabor. Plurima jam elaboravi." 
Relations of affinity being thus separated from those of ana- 
logy, we immediately get the following facts from the observa- 
tion of what M. Agardh terms the affinity of Transitus, namely, 
that species form the only absolute division in nature, and that 
no groups of species (whatever may be the rank of these groups) 
ought to be considered as insulated, but only as series of affini- 
ties returning into themselves, and forming as it were circles 
which touch other circles. Such only are natural groups. This 
was said of Insects*; and our author, looking only at plants, 
and principally at Fungi, comes to the same conclusion, as ap- 
pears from the following words: ‘ Species unica in natura 
fixé circumscripta idea. Superiores nullas agnovimus sectiones 
although a solitary resemblance may mislead, it is clear that when we find several of 
such resemblances to keep parallel to each other in contiguous series, we may reckon 
upon their having some more solid foundation than our own fancy. 
* Hore Entomologice, p. 459 &c. 
strictissime 
