and Western Continents. 161 



ties between the animal inhabitants of the eastern and western world 

 would be much more evident the nearer we approach the arctic 

 circle. Such in reality is found to be the case ; and if we admit that 

 the creative power in nature works by uniform and general laws, it 

 will no- longer be matter of surprise, that exactly similar circum- 

 stances should occur in a few instances, and thus give rise to organ- 

 ized products, so nearly resembling each other, that in the present 

 state of our knowledge they must be considered identical. 



It must be confessed that no general laws in the creative organ- 

 ic power have yet been shown ; nor is it at all probable that any 

 such can be rendered physically evident by human intellect. Their 

 existence must always be regarded as a matter of inference, rather 

 than an opinion susceptible of direct proof. It is still a question of 

 dispute between philosophers, whether the creation of a species is 

 to be ascribed to a direct manifestation of a supernatural agency, 

 or whether the Deity, in this, as in every department of nature 

 which has yet been brought within the scope of scientific research, 

 operates by universal laWs impressed upon matter. From the 

 gradual increase in complexity of development which is made ap- 

 parent in following out the history of any individual organ, it seems 

 probable that such laws do exist ; otherwise there would be no special 

 reason why the same oi-gan should be formed throughout the whole 

 chain of animated nature, by the gradual expansion of a single, 

 uniform type. 



If, on the other hand, we were to allow the distinct, and separ- 

 ate exercise of omnipotence, for the creation of each separate and 

 distinct species, would it not be limiting the power of the Creator 

 far below our proper ideas of his greatness, to suppose that one 

 primary form alone would suffice for each essential organ, and that 

 all others must be derived from this original type .' 



But enough has been already said on this obscure subject, 

 which may properly be called the metaphysics of Natural History, 

 Let us pass then to some 1 examples of the identity of 



production above referred to. 



1. Loricera pilicornis Fabr. — Several specimens of this curi- 

 ous insect were found floating in Lake Superior at Kewenaw Point- 



