FOSSIL PEDIGREES 119 



ozoic formations as many as 90 per cent of the species of 

 mollusks are still living." ("Paleontology," 1st ed., p. 2.) 

 Among the Echinodermata, two genera, Cidaris (a sea urchin) 

 and Fentacnnus (a crinoid) may be mentioned as being per- 

 sistent since the Triassic ("oldest" system of the Mesozoic 

 group). Among the Arthropoda, the horseshoe crab Limulus 

 polyphemus has had a continuous existence since the Lias {i.e. 

 the lowest series of the Jurassic system). Even among the 

 Vertebrata we have instances of persistence. The extant Aus- 

 tralian genus Ceratodus, a Dipnoan, has been in existence since 

 the Triassic. Among the fossils of the Jurassic (middle system 

 of the Mesozoic group). Sharks, Rays, and Chimaeroids occur 

 in practically modern forms, while some of the so-called 

 "ganoids" are extremely similar to our present sturgeons and 

 gar pikes — "Some of the Jurassic fishes approximate the tele- 

 osts so closely that it seems arbitrary to call them ganoids." 

 (Scott.) 



The instances of persistence enumerated above are those ac- 

 knowledged by evolutionary palaeontologists themselves. This 

 list could be extended somewhat by the addition of several 

 other examples, but even so, it would still be small and in- 

 suJSicient to tip the scales decisively in favor of fixism. On 

 the other hand, we must not forget that the paucity of this 

 list is due in large measure to the fact that our present method 

 of classifying fossiliferous strata was deliberately framed 

 with a view to excluding formations containing modern types 

 from the category of "ancient" beds. Moreover, orthodox 

 palaeontology has minimized the facts of persistence to an 

 extent unwarranted even by its own premises. As the follow- 

 ing considerations indicate, the actual number of persistent 

 types is far greater, even according to the evolutionary time- 

 scale, than the figure commonly assigned. 



First of all, we must take into account the deplorable, if not 

 absolutely dishonest, practice, which is in vogue, of inventing 

 new names for the fossil duplicates of modem species, in 

 order to mask or obscure an identity which conflicts with 



