1856.] GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 79 



distribution, geological history, affinities, &c. &c. And it 

 seems to me that, supposing that such hypothesis were to 

 explain such general propositions, we ought, in accordance 

 with the common way of following all sciences, to admit it till 

 some better hypothesis be found out. For to my mind to 

 say that species were created so and so is no scientific explan- 

 ation, only a reverent way of saying it is so and so. But it 

 is nonsensical trying to show how I try to proceed, in the 

 compass of a note. But as an honest man, I must tell you that 

 I have come to the heterodox conclusion, that there are no 

 such things as independently created species that species are 

 only strongly defined varieties. I know that this will make 

 you despise me. I do not much underrate the many huge 

 difficulties on this view, but yet it seems to me to explain too 

 much, otherwise inexplicable, to be false. Just to allude to 

 one point in your last note, viz. about species of the same 

 genus generally having a common or continuous area ; if they 

 are actual lineal descendants of one species, this of course 

 would be the case ; and the sadly too many exceptions (for 

 me) have to be explained by climatal and geological changes. 

 A fortiori on this view (but on exactly same grounds), all the 

 individuals of the same species should have a continuous 

 distribution. On this latter branch of the subject I have put 

 a chapter together, and Hooker kindly read it over. I 

 thought the exceptions and difficulties were so great that on 

 the whole the balance weighed against my notions, but I was 

 much pleased to find that it seemed to have considerable 

 weight with Hooker, who said he had never been so much 

 staggered about the permanence of species. 



I must say one word more in justification (for I feel sure 

 that your tendency will be to despise me and my crotchets), 

 that all my notions about how species change are derived 

 from long-continued study of the works of (and converse 

 with) agriculturists and horticulturists ; and I believe I 

 see my way pretty clearly on the means used by nature to 



